FTSE 100 movers: Tullow plummets on suspended dividend, BT higher on Premier League rights

Tullow Oil topped the fallers after deciding to suspend its final dividend for 2014, as the exploration and production company swung to a loss of over $2bn on the back of hefty impairment charges and exploration write-offs.

“2014 was a difficult year for our industry and a challenging one for Tullow as our results today demonstrate,” said chief executive Aidan Heavey. “In response to this, and the fall in the oil price, we have reset our business and are focusing our capital expenditure on high-quality, low-cost oil production in West Africa,” he said.

Sky, despite winning five packs of live EPL rights, dropped sharply after saying it would by paying £1.39bn per annum, a bigger-than-expected 83% increase on the existing contract.

BT Group surged after winning rights to show more Premier League (EPL) matches over the next three seasons, as a hotly-anticipated auction came to an end. BT won two out of the seven packages of rights that were on offer and will pay £320m per season, 30% more than its current contract.

In the first results after offloading its drugs business, Reckitt Benckiser delivered fourth-quarter net revenue growth comfortably ahead of forecasts, helping shares higher.

Chip designer ARM Holdings also gained after enjoying a strong finish to 2014 with its best-ever quarterly revenues as a record number of licences were signed, many by new customers.

Airlines Easyjet and IAG were trading higher as oil prices remained shaky, holding prospective fuel costs lower.

Risers
ARM Holdings (ARM) 1,094.00p +3.60%
Reckitt Benckiser Group (RB.) 5,760.00p +3.04%
BT Group (BT.A) 457.10p +3.00%
Persimmon (PSN) 1,660.00p +2.91%
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 552.00p +2.41%
Barratt Developments (BDEV) 467.50p +1.70%
United Utilities Group (UU.) 975.50p +1.56%
Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 139.00p +1.53%
easyJet (EZJ) 1,761.00p +1.32%
National Grid (NG.) 899.90p +0.91%

Fallers
Tullow Oil (TLW) 393.00p -5.14%
Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 960.00p -3.57%
Royal Mail (RMG) 419.30p -2.98%
Anglo American (AAL) 1,123.50p -2.22%
Sky (SKY) 934.50p -2.04%
Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 180.40p -2.01%
Sports Direct International (SPD) 678.50p -1.67%
GKN (GKN) 370.50p -1.59%
BG Group (BG.) 920.30p -1.50%
BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,472.50p -1.50%