Fast Retailing shares surge to record high on profit forecast lift. The Japanese retail giant, parent company of Uniqlo, raised its full-year operating profit guidance to 700 billion yen from 650 billion yen, driven by robust international expansion. Stock jumped over 9 percent following the announcement. First-half results showed revenue climbing 14.8 percent to 2.06 trillion yen with operating profit surging 31.7 percent to 400.6 billion yen. Uniqlo International led performance with revenue up 22.4 percent and profit rising 37.4 percent, fueled by strong demand across Greater China, Southeast Asia, and Western markets. CEO Tadashi Yanai indicated significant growth opportunities ahead. The company acknowledged Middle East conflict impacts on transportation costs but stated production and distribution will not face major disruptions.
