Crystal and china maker Waterford Wedgwood yesterday reiterated its view that sales would pick up in the second half of the year despite the continuing US corporate scandals undermining consumer sentiment there.

The firm sells almost half its crystal, ceramic and luxury cooking utensils in the US market but yesterday chief executive Mr Redmond O'Donoghue said again sales would pick up.

"This year each month has been a little less bad, it's getting slightly better," he said. "I wouldn't be doing a cartwheel about it but it is certainly improving versus those horrible months at the end of last year."

He added the firm was still committed to doubling its revenues by 2006 but conceded the difficult economic events of the past 12 months had made that goal "a little more stretchy". He stopped short of ruling out further job losses at the company. The firm posted a first quarter pre-tax profit of €14.3 million.