FTSE 100 movers: Unilever rallies on results but SSE slumps as profits take a hit

London's FTSE 100 was up 0.1% to 7,683.41 in afternoon trade on Thursday as investors digested the latest disappointing data point, this time in the form of weaker-than-expected retail sales.

Consumer goods giant Unilever was the standout gainer after it said underlying sales growth slowed more than expected in the second quarter due to the impact of a truckers' strike in Brazil but the company improved profit margins and remained confident of hitting full year targets.

Royal Dutch Shell pushed higher after an upgrade to 'outperform' at Raymond James.

On the downside, advertising giant WPP was the worst performer after French peer Publicis posted an unexpected decline in second-quarter sales.

Accendo Markets analyst Mike van Dulken said: "Having itself only recently lost long-serving CEO and architect of growth Martin Sorrell (a story for another day), WPP traders are understandably digesting this week’s sector news badly (shares down 2.3% on Monday, -3% on Tuesday, -3.3% today), wondering about their own prospects amid a changing advertising landscape (more online, lower overall spending) and now what might lurk in their own H1 Results on 4 September."

Utility SSE was also under the cosh after it said first-quarter operating profits would take an £80m hit due to Britain's hot summer and "persistently high gas prices" combining to cut renewable output, customers using less energy and increased costs. The company also said that full-year results could be hit but reaffirmed its commitment to pay a total dividend of 97.5p.

Miners were in the red as metals prices fell on the back of a stronger dollar, with Anglo American and Antofagasta both down. Anglo American was also in the spotlight after it reported a 6% year-on-year rise in total second-quarter output on a copper equivalent basis, excluding disruption after a leak at its Brazilian Minas-Rio iron ore project.

Sky was on the back foot after Comcast said it was dropping its interest in 21st century Fox to focus on bidding for the London-listed broadcaster.

Equipment rental firm Ashtead was lower even as US peer United Rentals' second-quarter earnings late on Wednesday beat expectations.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Unilever (ULVR) 4,318.00p 2.74%
Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 330.20p 1.79%
Barratt Developments (BDEV) 532.12p 1.43%
Kingfisher (KGF) 318.80p 1.34%
Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 2,746.50p 1.33%
Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 2,661.50p 1.31%
Imperial Brands (IMB) 2,889.00p 1.28%
Persimmon (PSN) 2,518.00p 1.08%
Tesco (TSCO) 259.00p 1.01%
Prudential (PRU) 1,793.75p 1.00%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

WPP (WPP) 1,137.00p -3.28%
SSE (SSE) 1,348.50p -2.60%
Melrose Industries (MRO) 219.80p -2.53%
Anglo American (AAL) 1,649.20p -2.47%
easyJet (EZJ) 1,650.00p -2.28%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 943.00p -2.28%
Evraz (EVR) 526.60p -2.16%
Sky (SKY) 1,503.00p -1.83%
Ashtead Group (AHT) 2,370.00p -1.74%
Mondi (MNDI) 2,059.00p -1.72%