PARIS - Sales in Asia helped boost French luxury group Hermes in the third quarter, the company said on Friday, reporting an overall 10-percent rise in sales to 452 million euros (672 million dollars).

In Asia, sales rose by 16.2 percent to 195 million euros. Excluding performance in crisis-hit Japan, where sales declined 0.9 percent, quarterly sales in the region were up 37.2 percent to 103 million euros.

In Europe, sales rose by 3.9 percent from the equivalent figure 12 months ago to 177 million euros.

Hermes was cautiously optimistic for the rest of 2009, saying: "If the trend seen from the beginning of the year continues, the group's target of steady sales at constant exchange rates over the full year will be slightly exceeded."

But, referring to the decline of the dollar against the euro, it added: "The current operating income could be around five percent down from 2008 due in particular to weaker currencies against the euro in the second half."