London’s FTSE 100 was up 0.7% at 7,076.34 in afternoon trade on Monday.
Royal Mail was the standout gainer following news that the Post Office will begin handling packages for Amazon.
On the downside, Primark owner Associated British Foods fell even as it raised its full-year profit outlook as weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter sales at Primark were offset by strong profit margins in the fashion business and a solid performance from its food and sugar divisions.
AB Foods said adjusted operating profit for its 2020-21 fiscal year, before repayment of job retention cash, would be marginally above last year excluding the benefit of a 53rd week this year. It had previously forecast it to be in line with the previous year’s £1bn.
FTSE 100 – Risers
Royal Mail (RMG) 492.40p 4.08%
Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (PSH) 2,590.00p 2.98%
CRH (CDI) (CRH) 3,773.00p 2.50%
National Grid (NG.) 959.00p 2.47%
Persimmon (PSN) 2,807.00p 2.45%
Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 43.60p 2.44%
BP (BP.) 302.85p 2.44%
Royal Dutch Shell ‘A’ (RDSA) 1,452.40p 2.37%
Royal Dutch Shell ‘B’ (RDSB) 1,458.40p 2.36%
Barratt Developments (BDEV) 698.40p 2.22%
FTSE 100 – Fallers
Associated British Foods (ABF) 1,922.50p -2.41%
Auto Trader Group (AUTO) 629.80p -1.90%
Scottish Mortgage Inv Trust (SMT) 1,379.50p -1.50%
Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,896.00p -1.46%
Rightmove (RMV) 735.60p -1.45%
Mondi (MNDI) 1,985.00p -1.29%
Aveva Group (AVV) 3,990.00p -1.14%
Intermediate Capital Group (ICP) 2,232.00p -1.06%
B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI) (BME) 580.20p -0.96%
Entain (ENT) 1,908.50p -0.93%
