FTSE 250 movers: SSP climbs, Sirius slides

London's FTSE 250 was up 0.51% at 19,919.54 in afternoon trade on Friday, as SSP Group led the index higher.

The travel food outlet retailer climbed after reporting on Thursday that its full-year turnover would be 10% higher at actual exchange rates as it maintained guidance for 2019 despite warning of airline capacity cuts in 2020.

Analysts from Shore Capital said that, despite facing ongoing headwinds, the group’s growing position in major markets such as North America, India and Brazil supported their view that the company was exceptionally well positioned to take advantage of the favourable long-term structural trends in global air travel.

Down at the other end of the index, Sirius Minerals led the fallers as it continued its downward trajectory after pulling out of a vital bond sale last week.

The Renewables Infrastructure Group was also in the red as it unveiled plans to issue new shares at a price at 123.00 pence, a 6% discount to Thursday's closing price of 130.90p.

Precious metals miners Hochschild Mining and Centamin were both lower as gold prices retreated.

Self storage company Big Yellow Group was lower after analysts from HSBC cut the stock's rating from 'buy' to 'hold' but hiked its target price from 1,060p to 1,095p.

Finally, Premier Oil edged downwards as oil prices dropped after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani claimed that Washington had offered to remove all sanctions in exchange for negotiations.

Market Movers

FTSE 250 (MCX) 19,919.54 0.51%

FTSE 250 - Risers

SSP Group (SSPG) 637.00p 4.77%
Ashmore Group (ASHM) 505.00p 3.53%
Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 186.10p 3.25%
IP Group (IPO) 59.90p 2.92%
Oxford Instruments (OXIG) 1,268.00p 2.59%
PureTech Health (PRTC) 243.00p 2.53%
Renishaw (RSW) 3,658.00p 2.46%
Hays (HAS) 151.10p 2.44%
Computacenter (CCC) 1,291.00p 2.38%
Law Debenture Corp. (LWDB) 591.66p 2.36%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Sirius Minerals (SXX) 3.06p -17.74%
Ferrexpo (FXPO) 160.50p -4.75%
The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited (TRIG) 126.13p -3.72%
TBC Bank Group (TBCG) 1,190.00p -3.57%
Hochschild Mining (HOC) 211.21p -3.47%
Centamin (DI) (CEY) 125.55p -2.71%
Big Yellow Group (BYG) 1,015.00p -2.40%
Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE) 2,030.00p -2.31%
Premier Oil (PMO) 75.82p -1.99%
Diploma (DPLM) 1,618.00p -1.70%