FTSE 100 movers: Vistry Group jumps on 'bid interest'; easyJet flies lower

London’s FTSE 100 was up 0.2% at 8,274.57 in afternoon trade on Wednesday.

Vistry Group was the standout gainer on the index, with traders pointing to a post on X by business reporter Dominic Walsh suggesting that the housebuilder is "attracting bid interest" following its latest share price slump.

BT Group was higher as it announced that Marc Allera will step down as chief executive of its consumer division.

Claire Gillies will take over as CEO-designate on 10 December, kicking off an orderly transition process with Allera, who will leave the group after nine years on 31 March 2025.

On the downside, EasyJet flew lower even as the low-cost airline reported a surge in full-year profit and boosted its dividend on strong summer demand and a narrowing of winter losses.

The company posted a 34% rise in pre-tax profit to £610m on a 14% increase in revenues to £9.3bn. The dividend was lifted to 12.1p a share from 4.5p.

Profits at easyJet’s holiday division soared 56% to £190m after another record-breaking summer as seasonal earnings rose 11% to £960m.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Vistry Group (VTY) 688.00p 4.64%
Airtel Africa (AAF) 102.65p 2.80%
Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 384.20p 2.21%
Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) 2,098.00p 2.14%
Tesco (TSCO) 357.20p 1.94%
LondonMetric Property (LMP) 193.50p 1.84%
British Land Company (BLND) 389.00p 1.51%
BT Group (BT.A) 158.45p 1.47%
Schroders (SDR) 315.60p 1.35%
Intertek Group (ITRK) 4,724.00p 1.33%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Smurfit Westrock (DI) (SWR) 4,305.00p -2.49%
Flutter Entertainment (DI) (FLTR) 21,650.00p -1.46%
Rentokil Initial (RTO) 397.00p -1.42%
Diageo (DGE) 2,333.50p -1.31%
Whitbread (WTB) 2,841.00p -1.29%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 1,645.00p -1.23%
WPP (WPP) 843.40p -1.17%
Informa (INF) 858.80p -1.04%
easyJet (EZJ) 535.00p -1.00%
Barclays (BARC) 258.35p -1.00%