FTSE 250 movers: Vivo Energy rallies on updates; Carnival cruises lower
London’s FTSE 250 was flat at 21,007.04 in afternoon trade on Friday.
Vivo Energy was the top gainer after saying it expects full-year adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation to be above the top end of the range of consensus expectations of between $331m and $354m.
Upper Crust owner SSP was in the black, having slumped on Thursday after confirming it is considering debt and equity funding options.
The company - which operates outlets mostly at train stations and airports - said it was confident in the medium-term recovery of the travel market, but there remains significant uncertainty over the Covid-19 pandemic and related travel restrictions.
Diploma gained after an upgrade to ‘buy’ at HSBC.
On the downside, travel stocks Carnival, TUI and easyJet were all weaker.
IG market analyst Joshua Mahony said travel stocks were being hit amid growing fears over the potential impact of the more concerning Bristol Covid variant.
"Recent value stock gains have been built on the notion that the vaccination programme and reopening process is linear and predictable by nature, yet strains in South Africa and now Bristol highlight the potential to derail that presumption," he said.
Carnival was also dented by a downgrade at Berenberg.
Elsewhere, Watches of Switzerland was on the back foot after a downgrade to ‘neutral’ at Goldman Sachs.
FTSE 250 - Risers
Vivo Energy (VVO) 81.60p 4.35%
SSP Group (SSPG) 291.80p 4.21%
Investec (INVP) 210.70p 3.69%
Liontrust Asset Management (LIO) 1,265.00p 3.69%
3i Infrastructure (3IN) 294.00p 2.80%
National Express Group (NEX) 287.00p 2.79%
Trainline (TRN) 469.00p 2.45%
Caledonia Investments (CLDN) 2,820.00p 2.36%
Hiscox Limited (DI) (HSX) 971.40p 2.34%
Diploma (DPLM) 2,510.00p 2.28%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
Carnival (CCL) 1,249.00p -3.96%
Rank Group (RNK) 122.00p -3.63%
TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 311.60p -3.44%
Hochschild Mining (HOC) 214.20p -3.08%
easyJet (EZJ) 741.20p -2.81%
St. Modwen Properties (SMP) 387.00p -2.40%
Watches of Switzerland Group (WOSG) 625.00p -2.34%
Petropavlovsk (POG) 27.30p -2.33%
BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited (BCPT) 71.60p -2.32%
ITV (ITV) 109.95p -2.27%