FTSE 100 movers: Standard Chartered results drive market down

The FTSE 100 had a rollercoaster start to the day on Tuesday, but was down 12.29 points (0.19%) by mid-afternoon to 6,349.51.

The biggest faller was Standard Chartered after it posted a disappointing set of third quarter results. The bank said they were hit by challenging market conditions combined with business divestments and de-risking initiatives, which led to poor results.

It saw an $832m dip in income for the period, down to $3.68bn (£2.39bn), due to a decline in client activity as a result of volatile market conditions and the impact of de-risking actions. That led the company to report a loss of $139m for the quarter, down from $1.53bn in the previous year. In the year to date, profit is down from $4.8bn in 2014 to $1.68bn.

The bank also announced a two for seven fully underwritten rights issue to raise approximately £3.3bn to help fund its strategic review programme. The proposals include a new business strategy, restructuring a number of businesses and cutting 15,000 jobs.

Housebuilders were under pressure after Liberum downgraded its stance on Barratt Developments, Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey to sell from hold. “We believe the largest housebuilders’ valuations are too optimistic to withstand the gross margin pressure that we expect in the coming years as house price inflation is suppressed by a more vigilant regulator and build cost inflation returns.”

Liberum said these three stocks are especially vulnerable to falling gross margins as managements have turned their backs on volume growth.

Shire followed the lead of its US shareholders and dropped following Monday’s news it agreed to the $5.9bn acquisition of US-based biotech Dyax Corporation. The Dublin-headquartered drug group said it will acquire Dyax for $37.30 in cash per Dyax share, for an up-front $5.9bn that could rise to $6.5bn upon the regulatory approval of its most advanced treatment for HAE, DX-2930. It also revealed it is still interested in pursuing evasive rival Baxalta despite its rebuffed $31bn summer bid.

However it wasn’t all bad news, with aerospace and defence engineer Meggitt leading the risers on the back of a positive note from Barclays. The bank reiterated its ‘overweight’ rating on the shares, saying the stock was “too cheap to ignore”. “Rarely do we find A&D companies which are simply too cheap, but post last week’s warning Meggitt is firmly in that bracket,” Barclays analysts Phil Buller and James Zaremba wrote in a note to investors on Tuesday. Meggitt’s shares plunged last week after warning that full-year profits will miss its £369m forecast, due to fewer contracts and increasing programme deferrals.

Royal Dutch Shell and BG Group also rallied after Shell told investors it will accelerate the implementation of measures to deal with a prolonged downturn in oil prices once the acquisition of the company is complete. The integrated oil and gas exploration and production company would capitalise on its competitive advantage in a low oil price environment, with the purchase of BG rejuvenating Shell’s upstream assets by adding deep water and integrated gas positions.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Meggitt (MGGT) 367.10p 2.80%
Glencore (GLEN) 118.60p 2.60%
BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,042.50p 1.61%
Fresnillo (FRES) 733.00p 1.52%
Admiral Group (ADM) 1,633.00p 1.49%
BG Group (BG.) 1,043.00p 1.36%
Aberdeen Asset Management (ADN) 350.20p 1.36%
Smiths Group (SMIN) 985.00p 1.23%
Anglo American (AAL) 550.40p 1.12%
Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 1,723.50p 0.97%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Standard Chartered (STAN) 644.50p -9.68%
Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 189.00p -4.64%
Barratt Developments (BDEV) 584.00p -4.26%
Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 3,205.00p -3.03%
Shire Plc (SHP) 4,741.00p -2.95%
Persimmon (PSN) 1,918.00p -2.54%
Hammerson (HMSO) 620.50p -1.66%
Kingfisher (KGF) 350.10p -1.52%
TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 1,170.00p -1.52%
Barclays (BARC) 232.65p -1.44%