THE world's largest educational publisher, Pearson has announced a good start to the year.

Advertising gains of 13 per cent at the Financial Times helped as it repeated sales growth forecasts of between three and five per cent, and at its general interest book publisher Penguin of about one per cent.

Chief executive Marjorie Scardino said: "We have begun the year in the same fine form that we enjoyed throughout 2005."

The Financial Times returned to profitability last year for the first time since 2001. With advertising revenue growth and four per cent circulation gains so far this year, the newspaper is outpacing rivals, which are widely losing advertisers and readers to the Internet.