McDonald's posts rare profit miss as customers turn picky

McDonald's missed quarterly profit estimates for the first time in two years as budget-conscious consumers looked past its offers and the Middle East conflict weighed on the burger chain's international sales.

Global comparable sales growth slid for the fourth straight quarter to 1.9%, with the company saying consumers turned "more discriminating with every dollar they spend". Analysts had estimated a 2.35% rise, according to LSEG data.