London’s FTSE 250 was up 0.3% at 23,354.06 in afternoon trade on Wednesday.
888 Holdings was the top gainer, with traders pointing to read-across from better-than-expected second-quarter earnings from US-based Caesars Entertainment overnight.
Bricks and concrete group Ibstock rallied as it lifted annual guidance after swinging to a profit as the UK construction sector recovered from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Pre-tax profit for the six months to June 30 was £39m compared with a loss of £52m last year as revenue jumped 54% to £202m. An interim dividend of 2.5p a share was declared.
Iron ore company Ferrexpo was the worst performer on the index despite posting a 165% surge in first-half profit.
Morgan Sindall was also weaker even as the construction and regeneration firm said profits and revenues had grown by double-digits in the six months ended 30 June.
FTSE 250 – Risers
888 Holdings (888) 389.00p 5.48%
XP Power Ltd. (DI) (XPP) 5,340.00p 3.49%
Future (FUTR) 3,570.00p 3.42%
Petropavlovsk (POG) 21.78p 2.83%
Fidelity China Special Situations (FCSS) 365.50p 2.81%
Man Group (EMG) 207.60p 2.67%
Oxford Instruments (OXIG) 2,535.00p 2.42%
JPMorgan European Discovery Trust (JEDT) 522.00p 2.35%
Ibstock (IBST) 226.00p 2.26%
Liontrust Asset Management (LIO) 2,130.00p 2.16%
FTSE 250 – Fallers
Ferrexpo (FXPO) 459.80p -7.15%
Morgan Sindall Group (MGNS) 2,315.00p -5.12%
Cairn Energy (CNE) 123.90p -4.98%
Rotork (ROR) 322.40p -4.50%
SSP Group (SSPG) 248.50p -4.13%
Dr. Martens (DOCS) 413.00p -3.46%
Cineworld Group (CINE) 62.58p -3.43%
Tullow Oil (TLW) 44.88p -3.00%
Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 271.80p -2.93%
Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 307.00p -2.82%
