FTSE 250 movers: Recruiters retreat again; Renishaw jumps

London’s FTSE 250 was down 0.1% at 17,297.40 in afternoon trade on Friday.

Recruiters Hays and PageGroup were weaker for the second day in a row after the former said on Thursday that annual profit would almost halve as recruitment fees fell by a third in the fourth quarter, with the UK and Ireland the worst-hit.

Going the other way, Renishaw shares rallied after the engineer lifted its full-year revenue expectations but downgraded its expectations for statutory pre-tax profit.

In a brief update for the year to the end of June, the company said annual revenue is expected to come in at around £510m, up from guidance of between £490m and £505m given in its last update in May. Adjusted pre-tax profit is expected to be around £50m; the company had given a range of £45m to £55m in May.

However, statutory pre-tax profit was forecast at approximately £4m, down significantly from the £31m to £41 guidance earlier in the year.

Asset manager Ninety One was also higher as it said assets under management rose to £118bn as at 30 June from £103.4bn at the end of March.

FTSE 250 - Risers

Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 58.00p 12.73%
Renishaw (RSW) 4,774.00p 7.77%
FirstGroup (FGP) 34.58p 6.60%
RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI) (RHIM) 2,598.00p 4.76%
Capita (CPI) 39.06p 4.10%
Playtech (PTEC) 313.70p 3.74%
Assura (AGR) 77.40p 3.61%
Games Workshop Group (GAW) 8,785.00p 2.99%
Ninety One (N91) 225.60p 2.83%
Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 560.20p 2.79%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

TI Fluid Systems (TIFS) 175.00p -6.72%
TBC Bank Group (TBCG) 781.00p -5.33%
Bank of Georgia Group (BGEO) 914.00p -5.09%
Hays (HAS) 119.80p -4.16%
Pagegroup (PAGE) 364.60p -4.05%
St. Modwen Properties (SMP) 342.00p -3.93%
Carnival (CCL) 1,006.50p -3.68%
Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 821.00p -3.41%
Micro Focus International (MCRO) 296.40p -3.07%
Hiscox Limited (DI) (HSX) 808.20p -2.91%