Giordano sales in Greater China plunged by 17.7 per cent during the first quarter, dragging group-wide sales down by 10.8 per cent, or 8.5 per cent on a constant currency basis.

In a stock exchange filing on the eve of the holiday weekend the casual apparel retailer blamed the downturn on “uncertainty stemming from the Sino-US trade dispute and abnormally warm weather”.

Giordano sales in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam remained stable during the quarter, and in the fledgling Middle East market rose by 10 per cent to HK$80 million, slightly compensating for the heavy impact of China.

By market, Mainland China sales fell from $378 million to $295 million, in Hong Kong and Macau from $248 million to $225 million and in Taiwan from $201 million to $161 million. In the rest of Asia-Pacific, they declined from $422 million to $398 million.

In the three months to March 31, inventories rose from HK$507 million to $512 million.

During the quarter, Giordano closed two stores in Hong Kong and Macau and reduced directly operated stores on the mainland by 31, but opened 19 franchised outlets.