London’s FTSE 250 was 0.1% firmer at 23,486.86 in afternoon trade on Monday.
Shipping services group Clarksons rallied after it reported a jump in interim profit and revenue as it hailed strong trading across all areas of the business.
In the six months to the end of June 2021, reported pre-tax profit rose to £27.3m from £20.9m in the first half a year prior, on revenue of £190.1m, up from £180.4m. Underlying pre-tax profit came in at £27.5m from £21.1m the year before. The company declared an interim dividend of 27p a share, up from 25p.
Vectura also rose after saying it was withdrawing its intention to recommend the sweetened offer made by Carlyle at the end of last week following an increased offer from Philip Morris, as the UK Takeover Panel said the process would be put to auction if both suitors don’t make final bids by Tuesday.
Recruitment firm PageGroup fell despite saying it swung to an interim profit, having taken a hit in the previous year due to the pandemic, and declaring a special dividend.
In the six months to the end of June 2021, the company swung to a pre-tax profit of £63.7m from a loss of £800,000 in the first half a year prior as revenue rose to £766.4m from £655m. Group operating profit was £64.3m, up from £400,000 the year before.
FTSE 250 – Risers
Clarkson (CKN) 3,480.00p 6.58%
Capita (CPI) 42.37p 5.77%
Vectura Group (VEC) 172.40p 5.12%
Rank Group (RNK) 177.60p 5.09%
Frasers Group (FRAS) 608.00p 3.58%
CLS Holdings (CLI) 264.00p 3.13%
Playtech (PTEC) 385.60p 2.99%
Spirent Communications (SPT) 268.60p 2.60%
Watches of Switzerland Group (WOSG) 1,028.00p 2.59%
Synthomer (SYNT) 541.00p 2.46%
FTSE 250 – Fallers
Energean (ENOG) 657.00p -4.30%
Pagegroup (PAGE) 598.50p -3.93%
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 1,965.50p -3.65%
easyJet (EZJ) 822.00p -3.34%
Petropavlovsk (POG) 19.82p -3.22%
Cineworld Group (CINE) 63.78p -2.45%
Carnival (CCL) 1,468.60p -2.37%
Tullow Oil (TLW) 46.30p -2.36%
Capital & Counties Properties (CAPC) 173.50p -2.25%
Shaftesbury (SHB) 619.00p -2.21%
