imageLONDON: Unilever reported a weaker-than-expected 2.1 percent rise in third-quarter sales on Thursday as a slowdown in emerging markets continued to crimp performance.

Analysts on average were expecting the maker of Dove soap and Lipton tea to report third-quarter sales growth of 3.7 percent, according to a company-compiled consensus.

Sales volume, measuring the amount of products sold, rose only 0.3 percent, while analysts expected growth of 1.8 percent.

"Macro-economic conditions continued to put pressure on consumers," said Unilever Chief Executive Paul Polman in a statement.

Still, he said the company was confident it will achieve "another year of profitable volume growth ahead of our markets, steady and sustainable core operating margin improvement and strong cash flow".

Copyright Reuters, 2014

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