FTSE 100 movers: CRH turns lower despite solid results; AB Foods gains ground

The full force of the August lull could be felt on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 barely changed at 7,570.17 in afternoon trading.

Although things were busy on the news front, with escalating trade tensions between the US and China and Trump hitting the headlines yet again after his former lawyer pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations, the corporate picture was very different, with just one FTSE 100 company releasing earnings.

It doesn't figure in the top 10 risers or fallers but with little else going on it seems worth mentioning that Irish building materials group CRH was in the red even as it reported 5% increase in first-half profit thanks to recovering construction markets. The stock had been trading higher earlier in the day.

Defensive stock Associated British Foods, which owns Primark, was on the front as the pound faltered.

Going the other way, NMC Health fell following strong gains earlier in the week on the back of well-received first-half results, which saw profits and revenues rise.

Imperial Brands, Prudential, Carnival and RBS were all in the red as their stock went ex-dividend.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Ocado Group (OCDO) 1,129.50p 2.68%
GVC Holdings (GVC) 1,112.00p 2.02%
Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,382.00p 1.79%
Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 307.20p 1.76%
Micro Focus International (MCRO) 1,278.00p 1.67%
Just Eat (JE.) 786.80p 1.52%
Evraz (EVR) 486.90p 1.44%
Melrose Industries (MRO) 226.30p 1.43%
Ferguson (FERG) 6,141.00p 1.39%
Burberry Group (BRBY) 2,269.00p 1.34%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Fresnillo (FRES) 926.30p -2.17%
Imperial Brands (IMB) 2,874.00p -1.69%
Anglo American (AAL) 1,552.20p -1.55%
NMC Health (NMC) 3,848.00p -1.54%
Severn Trent (SVT) 1,959.00p -1.36%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 806.00p -1.27%
Prudential (PRU) 1,729.50p -1.23%
United Utilities Group (UU.) 727.60p -1.09%
Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 244.30p -1.01%
Carnival (CCL) 4,632.00p -1.00%