PARIS, July 30 (Reuters) - French cosmetics giant

L'Oreal reported a 5.3% rise in second-quarter sales,

below expectations and likely further rattling investors already

worried about the lack of rebound in the important Chinese

market.

The Paris-based company, which owns the Maybelline and

Lancome brands, said on Tuesday that sales in the quarter

reached 10.88 billion euros ($11.75 billion), up 5.3% on a

like-for-like basis from a year earlier, but undershooting the

5.9% growth seen in a consensus compiled by Visible Alpha.

The company reported negative growth in the North Asia

region, hit by weak consumer confidence in China and compared

with the strong surge in demand at the same time a year ago.