FTSE 250 movers: JD Sports rising over sales boost, Afren on the rise

JD Sports Fashion was rising after reporting a sales surge of 12% over the Christmas period in the five weeks to 3 January. The company said: “The board is now confident that the headline profit before tax and exceptional items for our continuing operations will exceed the top end of market expectations for the current financial year which currently range up to £90m.”

Meanwhile, the energy sector was mostly higher after oil prices rebounded nearly 3%. Oil producer Afren was extending gains after soaring 32% the previous session on the back of takeover speculation. The advance came after Nigerian group Seplat, which had approached Afren last month regarding a merger, secured an option to raise up to $700m to fund acquisitions. It has until Monday to make a firm offer.

Ophir Energy was also making gains, while oilfield services groups such as Hunting and Petrofac were trading in the red.

Copper miners Kaz Minerals and Vedanta Resources were rising strongly after having dropped earlier in the week as copper prices fell to a six-year low.

A slowdown in growth in the fourth quarter at Moneysupermarket.com did little to dampen the stock with the group still registering double-digit growth in revenues and profits for 2014.


FTSE 250 - Risers
Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 192.80p +8.80%
Vedanta Resources (VED) 397.10p +5.67%
Spectris (SXS) 2,068.00p +5.24%
JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 500.50p +5.12%
Afren (AFR) 30.00p +4.31%
SSP Group (SSPG) 270.30p +3.13%
Enterprise Inns (ETI) 109.30p +3.02%
Man Group (EMG) 162.20p +2.53%
Moneysupermarket.com Group (MONY) 231.60p +2.52%
Just Eat (JE.) 347.10p +2.39%

FTSE 250 - Fallers
Infinis Energy (INFI) 185.90p -4.42%
Electrocomponents (ECM) 202.40p -4.39%
NMC Health (NMC) 470.20p -4.04%
Dignity (DTY) 1,773.00p -3.85%
Countrywide (CWD) 436.90p -3.77%
Redrow (RDW) 256.50p -3.43%
Synergy Health (SYR) 2,019.00p -2.84%
Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 2,187.00p -2.80%
Crest Nicholson Holdings (CRST) 344.70p -2.63%
Hunting (HTG) 432.00p -2.59%