Region. Sales shrink

Sales at the women's fashion chain Noni B, at Kings Park, declined 3 per cent in the first quarter of this financial year, while heavy discounting in the retail sector further squeezed profit margins. Falling prices for electrical and whitegoods due to the rising dollar and brittle consumer confidence has led to Homebush West-based Harvey Norman's first quarter sales growth to grind to a halt in Australia and its quarterly profits to shrink by a third.