PARIS (Reuters) -Birkin bag maker Hermes signalled a slight improvement in key market China as it reported a 9.6% rise in third quarter sales on Wednesday, outpacing peers as rich shoppers splashed out on its $10,000 handbags.

The cautiously optimistic comments on Chinese shoppers, accounting for roughly a third of global luxury sales, came after other major players, including LVMH and L’Oreal, flagged a similar uptick.

“One could note a very slight improvement in the third quarter” in greater China, finance chief Eric de Halgouet told journalists on a call, pointing to a stabilisation of real estate prices in large cities and positive stock market trends.

Sales for the three months to the end of September came to 3.88 billion euros ($4.52 billion), up 9.6%, roughly in line with analyst

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