While the group's sales slumped six percent in the first three months of the year, they edged 0.1 percent higher in the second quarter to 19.5 billion euros. While the reported sales figures showed only slight growth, that included a five percent negative impact from changes in exchange rates. Stripping out that effect, and changes in business operations, sales rose by two percent in the first half and by three percent in the second quarter. But sales rose one percent on a comparable basis in the second quarter on a comparable basis in the first quarterly gain in two years. Sales rose by in most regions on a comparable basis, including by six percent in Asia excluding Japan and four percent in the United States.