FTSE 100 movers: Leadsom weight lifted off builders; Rolls-Royce lower

The withdrawal of Andrea Leadsom from the Conservative Party leadership race gave the FTSE 100 a lift, led by housebuilders.

Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developments, Persimmon and Berkeley Group all jumped markedly on news that Theresa May was the only candidate left in the race to become prime minister. May has said building more homes is a priority.

Building merchant Travis Perkins was also cheered by the news.

Shares in Rolls-Royce fell after the company said it had agreed to pay €720m to complete the full takeover of Spanish aero engine component manufacturer Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP).

The company, which currently owns a large minority stake in the profitable Bilbao-based business, will purchase the outstanding 53.1% shareholding in ITP from SENER Grupo de Ingeniería in eight instalments over a two-year period.

AstraZeneca was also down after reports over the weekend said it was mulling joining the fray for US drug outfit Medivation.

Just at the start of last week the American company, which markets a blockbuster treatment for prostate cancer, saw off another hostile take-over attempt from France´s Sanofi.

FTSE 100 - Risers
Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 141.90p +7.91%
Barratt Developments (BDEV) 402.00p +7.72%
Persimmon (PSN) 1,519.00p +6.97%
Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 2,658.00p +6.70%
Anglo American (AAL) 792.00p +6.31%
Travis Perkins (TPK) 1,443.00p +6.26%
Glencore (GLEN) 175.45p +4.87%
TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 994.00p +4.14%
Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 330.30p +4.10%
Fresnillo (FRES) 1,946.00p +4.06%

FTSE 100 - Fallers
Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 726.00p -1.22%
Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 2,572.00p -1.08%
AstraZeneca (AZN) 4,530.50p -0.95%
Standard Chartered (STAN) 581.50p -0.90%
BT Group (BT.A) 394.15p -0.71%
Diageo (DGE) 2,135.00p -0.40%
Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 2,120.00p -0.33%
Unilever (ULVR) 3,640.50p -0.30%
Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 2,096.50p -0.26%
Severn Trent (SVT) 2,460.00p -0.12%