Net sales at Rs 2,440.94 crore registered an increase of 3.4 per cent over Rs 2,361.48 crore in the same period last year. Earnings per share of the multinational increased by 24.2 per cent during the period from Rs 31.22 in the previous quarter to Rs 38.77 per share.

In a statement, HLL chairman KB Dadiseth said: ``Volume growth and market development continue to be our key areas of focus. The domestic businesses of soaps and detergents, personal products, culinary products, coffee, ice creams, branded staples and oils and fats (67 per cent of total sales) have shown good sales growth during the first quarter of 1999.''

The company has recorded good sales growth, led by soaps anddetergents which has notched up a 10 per cent growth, followed by personal products which grew at 28 per cent, ice creams with 21 per cent growth, branded staples at 89 per cent and oils and fats with a growth of 26 per cent.

Exports sales of the company was depressed due to prevailing international trading conditions, particularly the difficulties in Russia.

On the outlook for the current year, Dadiseth said that the rural incomes are expected to increase significantly with better agricultural output and this should stimulate demand for our category of products, particularly in the second half of 1999. "However, political uncertainty continues to affect trade sentiment,'' he added.