FTSE 250 movers: Property and energy stock higher, Esure hit by downgrade

Property service group Countrywide and estate agent Savills were trading higher after George Osborne announced his approval of a series of new housing zones in the Budget, including Plymouth and Blackpool.

Spire Healthcare Group was also among the risers after JPMorgan raised their price target on the stock from 336p to 376p.

After a slow start, energy stocks such as Nostrum Oil & Gas, Riverstone Energy and Soco International pushed into positive territory, extending strong gains made on Tuesday on speculation about tax breaks in the North Sea.

Insurer Esure was in the red on a downgrade from equities research analysts at Canaccord Genuity. The broker shifted its rating to ‘hold’, while also lowering its price target from 230p to 225p.

Mining stocks were retreating after solid gains on Tuesday, with Vedanta Resources leading the fallers.

Risers

Soco International (SIA) 147.80p +5.57%
Allied Minds (ALM) 662.50p +4.66%
Ted Baker (TED) 2,828.00p +3.78%
Amec Foster Wheeler (AMFW) 925.00p +3.53%
Savills (SVS) 766.50p +3.30%
Morgan Advanced Materials (MGAM) 342.70p +3.19%
Countrywide (CWD) 537.00p +3.07%
Spire Healthcare Group (SPI) 365.30p +2.99%
Riverstone Energy Limited (RSE) 1,036.00p +2.98%
Nostrum Oil & Gas (NOG) 566.00p +2.91%

Fallers
Vedanta Resources (VED) 421.30p -4.81%
Just Eat (JE.) 347.80p -4.71%
Bank of Georgia Holdings (BGEO) 1,761.00p -4.24%
Thomas Cook Group (TCG) 144.50p -4.05%
Afren (AFR) 3.08p -3.99%
Carillion (CLLN) 328.10p -2.99%
Premier Oil (PMO) 136.90p -2.84%
esure Group (ESUR) 221.20p -2.25%
Hunting (HTG) 464.30p -2.03%
Cairn Energy (CNE) 150.80p -2.01%