On the back of relatively strong trading in the last two months, the board of the JD Sports Fashion group predicts that its profit before tax and exceptional items for the current financial year is likely to reach £10 million more than market expectations of £125 million (€172.1m-$189.5m). The board added in its update on Dec. 3 that it recognizes the importance of trading through the remainder of December and early January, as well as further infrastructure cost increases during the year to support its international development. The group already announced in September that it had enjoyed an exceptional performance for the 26 weeks to Aug. 1, with comparable sales rises of more than 10 percent across all of the group's banners, including its European stores. The JD group will issue another trading update on Jan. 14.