NEW YORK (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp reported a 4.9 percent rise in April sales at established restaurants as the pace of sales in the United States and Europe, its largest markets, slowed from March.
Sales at restaurants open at least 13 months rose 3.8 percent in the United States, 5.3 percent in Europe and 3.9 percent in the Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) region.
Jefferies & Co analyst Jeff Farmer said in a recent client note that he was looking for global same-restaurant sales to rise 4.9 percent, slightly above Wall Street's call for growth of 4.5 percent.
Farmer's forecast included a 3.8 percent rise in the United States -- below the Street's call for a 4.1 percent increase -- and gains of 4 percent in Europe and 5 percent in APMEA.
In March, the world's biggest fast-food chain saw its global same-store sales jump 5.2 percent. That included gains of 4.2 percent in the United States, 5.9 percent in Europe and 2.8 percent in the APMEA region.
Shares of McDonald's were up 2.6 percent at $69.75 in trading before the market opened.
(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein and Dhanya Skariachan; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
