London’s FTSE 250 was down 0.1% at 22,477.53 in afternoon trade on Friday.
Online review platform Trustpilot was the worst performer, having gained for several days in a row this week after a well-received first-half update on Monday.
GCP Student Living shares surged to the top of the index after the student housing provider agreed to be bought by Scape Living and iQSA Holdco in a £969m deal. The consortium will pay 213p in cash for each GCP share, which is a 30.7% premium to undisturbed share price of 163p on 1 July.
Travel and leisure stocks were up, recovering from heavy Covid-related losses earlier in the week, with Cineworld, Tui and Mitchells & Butlers all higher. IG market analyst Joshua Mahony said: “Cineworld is a particular outperformer, with the heavily shorted stock finally seeing a pop as traders look for bargains.”
Asset manager Ninety One gained after confirming that assets under management rose to £139bn as at 30 June 2021 from £118bn in the same period a year earlier.
Home repairs and improvements business HomeServe rose after it backed its full-year guidance ahead of its annual meeting.
FTSE 250 – Risers
GCP Student Living (DIGS) 214.50p 11.72%
Cineworld Group (CINE) 62.84p 9.63%
TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 324.30p 3.98%
Network International Holdings (NETW) 369.10p 3.97%
Ninety One (N91) 237.20p 3.31%
Homeserve (HSV) 963.50p 2.94%
Pagegroup (PAGE) 624.50p 2.80%
Tate & Lyle (TATE) 729.80p 2.21%
AJ Bell (AJB) 418.80p 2.20%
Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 264.00p 2.09%
FTSE 250 – Fallers
Trustpilot Group (TRST) 364.00p -3.50%
PureTech Health (PRTC) 318.50p -3.48%
Ferrexpo (FXPO) 435.20p -3.25%
National Express Group (NEX) 235.80p -3.20%
TI Fluid Systems (TIFS) 293.50p -2.81%
Clarkson (CKN) 3,160.00p -2.77%
Morgan Sindall Group (MGNS) 2,125.00p -2.75%
FirstGroup (FGP) 78.00p -2.68%
Helios Towers (HTWS) 160.00p -2.56%
Centamin (DI) (CEY) 103.05p -2.41%
