ZURICH, July 16, 2008 (AFP) - Swiss luxury goods giant Richemont gleamed amid economic gloom on Wednesday, showing a 13-percent sales leap in the three months to June on strong demand for its wares in Asia.

The company beat analysts' expectations of a rise of 9.7 percent to post sales of 1.43 billion euros (2.3 billion dollars).

COPENHAGEN, July 13, 2008 (AFP) - Despite a recent upswing for the luxury goods market, Bang & Olufsen, the Danish maker of sleek, high-end sound systems and televisions, is struggling to attract consumers as rivals increasingly focus on design at lower prices, analysts say.

PARIS, July 2, 2008 (AFP) - From selling leather-trimmed pipes to US soldiers in Paris in the wake of World War II to making some of the hottest fashion bags on the market, France's Longchamp turns 60 bent on joining the 'It' crowd of luxury handbag makers.

PARIS, June 30, 2008 (AFP) - A Paris court was to decide Monday whether to make eBay pay 51 million euros (80 million dollars) in damages to Louis Vuitton and other French luxury groups for letting fake copies of their goods be auctioned on its website.

PARIS, June 29, 2008 (AFP) - A Paris court is to decide Monday whether to make eBay pay 51 million euros (80 million dollars) in damages to Luis Vuitton and other French luxury groups for letting fake copies of their goods be auctioned on its website.

REIMS, June 4, 2008 (AFP) - Online auction giant eBay was convicted by a French court Wednesday of selling counterfeit goods and ordered to pay 20,000 euros (30,000 dollars) in damages to French luxury group Hermes.

REIMS, June 4, 2008 (AFP) - Online auction giant eBay was convicted Wednesday of selling counterfeit goods and ordered to pay 20,000 euros (30,000 dollars) in damages to French luxury group Hermes, Hermes' lawyer said.

GENEVA, May 22, 2008 (AFP) - Richemont, the world's second-biggest luxury products company, on Thursday posted an 18-percent rise in full-year net profit, and said it would separate its luxury business from the rest of its operations.

Net profit reached 1.570 billion euros (2.478 billion dollars) for the full-year ending March 31, 2008.

GENEVA, April 23, 2008 (AFP) - Richemont, the world's second-biggest luxury goods group, said Wednesday its sales had risen by 16 percent to 5.301 billion euros (8.471 billion dollars) in the financial year which ended March 31.

GENEVA, April 9, 2008 (AFP) - Luxury watch brand Vacheron Constantin said Wednesday it had turned to security features more commonly used in bank notes and passports in its fight against counterfeiting.