STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Hennes & Mauritz , the world's second-biggest fashion retailer, posted on Monday a 14 percent rise in October sales from a year ago, beating forecasts. Analysts polled by Reuters had on average predicted a 10 percent rise. The Swedish budget fashion firm, which has the bulk of business in Europe, has said that in September, when sales growth landed at 8 percent, many customers delayed purchases of cold-weather gear amid unusually warm weather. (This refiled version of the story fixes Nov. 17 dateline) (Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Louise Heavens)