FTSE 250 movers: Wizz dives; Miners in favour on MEast tensions

Wizz Air reported a 3.9% year-on-year increase in passenger numbers for September on Wednesday, carrying 5.76 million passengers during the month.

The FTSE 250 low-cost carrier said that despite engine-related groundings of its more efficient Airbus A321neo fleet due to issues with Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, it managed to increase seat capacity by 4.8%, though load factors dipped slightly to 91.7%, down from 92.4% in September last year.

For the second quarter, Wizz Air saw seat capacity rise by 1.2% year-on-year to 19.11 million, while passenger numbers grew by 1.1% to 17.90 million.

The company also highlighted its ongoing expansion, as it announced new routes in the month for its Airbus A321XLR aircraft, which would operate daily services between London Gatwick and Jeddah, and Milan Malpensa and Abu Dhabi, starting next summer.

However, the airline recorded an increase in carbon emissions per passenger kilometre.

Emissions per revenue passenger kilometre rose 2.5% year-on-year to 52.3 grams, a result of the less efficient fleet mix following the grounding of newer aircraft.

Fidelity China Special Situations continued its stellar run since Beijing announced a raft of stimulus measures that have sent shares in Shanghai surging over the past three days.

Ithaca Energy, Harbour Energy and Hochschild Mining were all up as oil and gold prices rose amid fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East.

UK defence contractor Babcock was up on geopolitical tensions.

FTSE 250 - Risers

Fidelity China Special Situations (FCSS) 237.50p 6.26%
Ithaca Energy (ITH) 113.50p 5.48%
Indivior (INDV) 746.50p 2.68%
Schroder Asia Pacific Fund (SDP) 561.00p 2.56%
Schroder Oriental Income Fund Ltd. (SOI) 280.50p 2.37%
Harbour Energy (HBR) 277.00p 2.10%
Pacific Horizon Inv Trust (PHI) 610.00p 2.01%
Hochschild Mining (HOC) 191.00p 1.70%
JPMorgan Emerging Markets Inv Trust (JMG) 112.20p 1.45%
Babcock International Group (BAB) 477.00p 1.45%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Wizz Air Holdings (WIZZ) 1,267.00p -7.32%
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 111.00p -5.29%
Close Brothers Group (CBG) 382.80p -4.92%
Ocado Group (OCDO) 377.60p -4.21%
Energean (ENOG) 876.00p -3.63%
Helios Towers (HTWS) 110.20p -3.16%
Derwent London (DLN) 2,356.00p -3.05%
Marshalls (MSLH) 316.00p -2.92%
Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 286.50p -2.88%
Safestore Holdings (SAFE) 882.50p -2.75%