Trading conditions remained difficult in China amid slowing consumption, with sales falling 7.8 percent on a like-for-like basis in the country.

Europe's largest retailer said third-quarter sales were 21.781 billion euros (19.47 billion pounds), slightly above the median analyst estimates for 21.709 billion in a ThomsonReuters poll.

Stripping out fuel and calendar effects, like-for-like revenue grew 3.2 percent year-on-year, an acceleration from the 2.7 percent growth achieved in the second quarter.

Carrefour finance head Pierre-Jean Sivignon said market estimates for full-year 2016 earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of around 2.45 billion euros was "achievable"

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Andrew Callus)