FTSE 250 movers: Senior soars; Keller keels over

Shares in aerospace engineering firm Senior led the FTSE 250 risers despite reporting tough interims on Monday.

A hard six months in the US for Aerospace engineering firm Senior's Flexonics division saw half year pre-tax profits fall 28% to £32.6m.

Group revenue increased by 3.7% to £450.5m, including a favourable exchange rate impact of £21.5m and a beneficial incremental impact from acquisitions of £18.6m. The group is cutting back production in the UK and moving it overseas as it makes savings to combat a fall in demand created by the declining oil price.

Investors were cheered by a 6% rise in the dividend to 1.95p.

Acacia Mining rallied as it said it has continued to enhance and expand its exploration portfolio through an agreement to accelerate the earn-in on the West Kenya Joint Venture licences in Kenya.

Fidessa shares rose as it posted interim results for the six months to 30 June on Monday, with its board describing solid revenue growth, and growth across all business lines and regions.

Revenue grew 9% to £158.3m during the period, or 4% at constant currencies, while operating profit rose 15% to £22m, or also 4% at constant currencies.

On the red side of the screen, geotechnical contractor Keller Group plunged as the company guided markets towards the lower end of full year expectations despite record interim revenues of £850m, up 12%.

The FTSE 250 firm had an operating profit before exceptional items down 6% to £35.6m, or down 10% at constant currencies, with underlying cash generated from operations up 125% to £41.9m.

Vedanta Resources also fell as the company posted its production numbers for the first quarter to 30 June on Monday, with production stable and the contribution from Mangala Enhanced Oil Recovery - the world's largest polymer EOR program - increasing to 42 kboepd.

The FTSE 250 firm reported Rajasthan water flood opex at $4.4/boe, and a blended cost at $6.4/boe.

FTSE 250 - Risers

Senior (SNR) 227.40p 10.98%
Acacia Mining (ACA) 588.00p 5.09%
Rank Group (RNK) 233.50p 4.94%
Fidessa Group (FDSA) 2,538.00p 4.02%
CMC Markets (CMCX) 286.60p 3.02%
Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 162.00p 2.79%
Hochschild Mining (HOC) 274.60p 2.77%
Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 763.00p 2.35%
IP Group (IPO) 160.90p 2.09%
Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 1,034.00p 2.07%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Keller Group (KLR) 910.50p -10.65%
Vedanta Resources (VED) 541.00p -5.67%
Countrywide (CWD) 234.20p -5.56%
Thomas Cook Group (TCG) 61.50p -5.38%
Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 238.50p -5.28%
Sophos Group (SOPH) 236.30p -5.10%
Restaurant Group (RTN) 337.10p -4.83%
Evraz (EVR) 163.00p -4.79%
Crest Nicholson Holdings (CRST) 410.00p -4.05%
Bovis Homes Group (BVS) 787.00p -3.85%