FTSE 250 movers: Berendsen rallies on update but Fidessa slumps
London's FTSE 250 was down 0.4% to 19,608.09 in afternoon trade as investors chewed over corporate releases.
Commercial laundry group Berendsen was the biggest gainer after saying first-quarter trading was in line with management expectations, as it announced the retirement of its chief financial officer.
In a trading update for 1 January to end of March, the company said underlying revenue, at constant exchange rates and before acquisitions, was up 3% from the prior year as solid underlying revenue growth in Continental Europe more than offset an expected decline in each of the UK textile businesses.
Spire Healthcare got a boost as FTSE 100 healthcare provider Mediclinic International, which owns a 29.9% stake in the company, surged on news that Abu Dhabi has waived 20% of the co-payment for Thiqa health insurance card holders.
UAE-based healthcare provider NMC Health was also lifted by the news.
Going the other way, financial trading software firm Fidessa was under pressure as it said in a trading update that uncertainty brought about by European elections, the forthcoming Brexit negotiations and the establishment of the new US administration was causing some customers to take longer than normal to make decisions.
Weir Group was on the back despite saying it was on track for a strong recovery this year, as its stock went ex-dividend.
Elementis, William Hill, and Senior all went ex-dividend also.
Risers
Berendsen (BRSN) 870.50p 5.90%
Spire Healthcare Group (SPI) 336.10p 4.51%
Ibstock (IBST) 229.60p 4.13%
Acacia Mining (ACA) 402.80p 3.02%
Allied Minds (ALM) 161.70p 2.73%
NMC Health (NMC) 1,950.00p 1.93%
St. Modwen Properties (SMP) 359.90p 1.55%
Card Factory (CARD) 324.70p 1.37%
IG Group Holdings (IGG) 540.00p 1.31%
Cineworld Group (CINE) 700.00p 1.30%
Fallers
Fidessa Group (FDSA) 2,407.00p -7.81%
Weir Group (WEIR) 1,977.00p -5.09%
Vedanta Resources (VED) 685.50p -4.66%
Elementis (ELM) 306.50p -3.34%
William Hill (WMH) 291.90p -3.02%
Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 830.00p -2.98%
Senior (SNR) 208.50p -2.89%
Amec Foster Wheeler (AMFW) 559.50p -2.86%
Entertainment One Limited (ETO) 241.70p -2.74%
Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group (JLT) 1,080.00p -2.35%