The Financial Post reports in its Saturday edition that the global trade war is not affecting Roots, the shopping-mall retailer's chief executive officer said Friday. "We haven't seen any weakening and no pullback," Meghan Roach told analysts who asked her whether consumer confidence has been lagging or if customers were trading down for more affordable products. Her observation was reflected in the retailer's first-quarter results, which showed sales at the Toronto-based company rose 6.7 per cent to $40-million. Much of the boost came from the company's direct-to-consumer business, which includes its retail stores and e-commerce operations. Sales from that division totalled $34.6-million for the period ended May 3, up from $31.4-million a year earlier. The segment also saw comparable sales growth of 14.1 per cent. Ms. Roach attributed the increase to existing products remaining popular, along with the company's latest releases. "We were also seeing strong adoption of updated cuts, which offer a modern take on comfort while staying true to the brand's DNA," she said. Over all, Roots reported a first-quarter loss of $7.9-million compared with a loss of $8.9-million a year earlier as sales rose 6.7 per cent.