FTSE 100 movers: 3i Group rallies on results; Hikma goes ex-div

London’s FTSE 100 was 2% higher at 7,889.97 in afternoon trade on Thursday.

3i Group was among the top performers as it said in its third-quarter results that its largest portfolio company, the Benelux discount retailer Action, recorded notable growth in the 2023 financial year.

Net sales reached €11.32bn and operating EBITDA hit €1.62bn, marking a 28% and 34% increase, respectively, compared to 2022.

Shares in fashion retailer Next jumped as it held guidance for 2024 after posting a better-than-expected 5% rise in annual profits and flagged lower prices for customers this year.

The company said it still expected pre-tax earnings of £960m, based on a 2.5% increase in full price sales.

Total sales for the year to January 2024 rose 6% to £5.8bn, while pre-tax profit of £918m beat an already upgraded forecast of £915m.

On the downside, Hikma, British American Tobacco and Schroders all lost ground as they traded without entitlement to the dividend.

FTSE 100 - Risers

St James's Place (STJ) 457.00p 9.25%
3i Group (III) 2,748.00p 8.83%
Anglo American (AAL) 1,953.60p 7.26%
Airtel Africa (AAF) 96.65p 6.56%
Halma (HLMA) 2,346.00p 6.25%
JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 117.30p 6.11%
Melrose Industries (MRO) 658.20p 6.02%
Ocado Group (OCDO) 488.30p 5.90%
Next (NXT) 8,972.00p 5.83%
Croda International (CRDA) 4,996.00p 5.76%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 1,865.00p -2.51%
Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,201.00p -2.36%
Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,033.50p -2.32%
Prudential (PRU) 762.60p -2.31%
British American Tobacco (BATS) 2,364.50p -1.97%
Reckitt Benckiser Group (RKT) 4,291.00p -1.76%
Centrica (CNA) 126.00p -1.75%
Schroders (SDR) 377.00p -0.92%
Unilever (ULVR) 3,895.50p -0.85%
B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI) (BME) 529.00p -0.56%