London’s FTSE 250 was up 1.8% at 21,416.55 in afternoon trade on Monday.
Travel and leisure stocks with exposure to the Covid-19 pandemic were the biggest gainers amid hopes that the speedy vaccine rollout will bring a return to more normal life by spring.
National Express, WH Smith, Cineworld, shopping centre owner Hammerson, pub group Mitchells & Butlers, travel company TUI, FirstGroup, easyJet, Marks & Spencer and Upper Crust owner SSP all rose.
Mitchells & Butlers was also in focus after saying it plans to raise £350m through an open offer and had also reached agreement with its banks for a new £150m three-year year unsecured revolving credit facility to bolster its balance sheet.
On the downside, Moneysupermarket was knocked lower by a downgrade to ‘hold’ from ‘buy’ at Liberum, which said tougher regulation of home and motor insurance and stiffer competition will drag on the company’s earnings.
FTSE 250 – Risers
National Express Group (NEX) 317.60p 11.05%
WH Smith (SMWH) 1,693.00p 9.37%
Cineworld Group (CINE) 81.10p 8.42%
Hammerson (HMSO) 22.98p 8.35%
Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 355.00p 8.07%
TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 342.40p 8.01%
FirstGroup (FGP) 83.55p 7.18%
easyJet (EZJ) 816.20p 6.64%
Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 139.00p 6.64%
SSP Group (SSPG) 318.00p 6.43%
FTSE 250 – Fallers
Micro Focus International (MCRO) 445.50p -4.50%
Cranswick (CWK) 3,526.00p -0.84%
Spirent Communications (SPT) 251.50p -0.79%
Just Eat Takeaway.Com N.V. (CDI) (JET) 7,868.00p -0.78%
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 2,120.00p -0.75%
Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund Limited (SEQI) 108.20p -0.73%
Sanne Group (SNN) 577.00p -0.69%
Moneysupermarket.com Group (MONY) 265.20p -0.67%
CMC Markets (CMCX) 419.50p -0.59%
Dechra Pharmaceuticals (DPH) 3,746.00p -0.58%
