Electronics and home wares retailer Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd still hopes a big lift in first half earnings after reporting a 4 per cent increase in first half sales.

The company revealed today sales for the six months to December 31 were $3.27 billion compared with $3.15 billion in the same period last year. Also, its Australian, New Zealand, Slovenia and Ireland businesses reported an increase of 2.5 per cent in like-for-like sales.