The FTSE 250 was up 0.14% at 19,853.32 at 1501 BST.
Shares in molten metal flow engineer Vesuvius topped the index after reporting that full-year trading profit was set to be towards to the top of the range of analyst expectations following better-than-expected trading in May and June.
The group expects earnings before interest and tax for the first half to be £127.4m. The performance was achieved despite ongoing end market weakness, it said.
Ferrexpo was boosted by an upgrade to ‘outperform’ at Credit Suisse, while Oxo and Mr Kipling owner Premier Foods rallied after agreeing to buy Asian meal kits and accompaniments brand The Spice Tailor for an initial £43.8m in cash.
FTSE 250 – Risers
Ferrexpo (FXPO) 150.00p 13.12%
Vesuvius (VSVS) 351.20p 8.73%
TBC Bank Group (TBCG) 1,306.00p 4.65%
ICG Enterprise Trust (ICGT) 1,178.00p 3.51%
ITV (ITV) 72.60p 3.42%
Wizz Air Holdings (WIZZ) 1,983.00p 3.39%
4Imprint Group (FOUR) 3,220.00p 3.37%
Volution Group (FAN) 399.50p 3.23%
Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 179.60p 3.04%
Premier Foods (PFD) 116.20p 2.83%
FTSE 250 – Fallers
Carnival (CCL) 664.80p -3.93%
Bridgepoint Group (Reg S) (BPT) 229.80p -3.28%
Jupiter Fund Management (JUP) 138.20p -3.15%
Chrysalis Investments Limited NPV (CHRY) 100.80p -3.08%
Edinburgh Worldwide Inv Trust (EWI) 188.80p -2.88%
Workspace Group (WKP) 575.50p -2.46%
Genuit Group (GEN) 405.00p -2.41%
Darktrace (DARK) 369.70p -2.20%
Bellevue Healthcare Trust (Red) (BBH) 162.20p -2.17%
ASOS (ASC) 1,132.00p -2.16%
