FTSE 100 movers: easyJet flies highest as Micro Focus suffers from Deutsche downgrade

Primary UK stock index the FTSE 100 was trading 0.17% lower during afternoon trading at the start of the week after reversing early gains on Monday.

Budget airline easyJet was among the top performers during the session after the stock was upgraded to ‘neutral’ by analysts at Exane BNP Paribas. The carrier gained more than 2% off the back of the upgrade.

Also benefiting from favourable broker commentary was GlaxoSmithKline, following an upgrade to ‘buy’ from ‘neutral’ out of UBS, while its target price was raised to 1550p.

Insurance provider Aviva also found itself in the higher part of the table on Monday after reports on Sunday suggested it was preparing a share buyback to the tune of £1bn.

Looking towards the other end, Micro Focus was bringing up the rear with a fall of 3.73% after Deutsche Bank downgraded the shares to ‘hold’.

Mining stocks took a hit at the start of the week, with Antofagasta, Anglo American and Fresnillo all falling as Liberum reiterated ‘sell’ on the companies it covers in the sector.

Also struggling was education group Pearson, which was down in response to its offloading of its Wall Street English operations. Pearson sold the language learning branch to a consortium of investment funds associated with Baring Private Equity Asia and CITIC Capital.

FTSE 100 - Risers

GKN (GKN) 312.30p 2.03%
Old Mutual (OML) 196.10p 1.82%
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,319.66p 1.71%
easyJet (EZJ) 1,388.00p 1.68%
Intertek Group (ITRK) 5,235.00p 1.65%
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 604.50p 1.43%
Persimmon (PSN) 2,591.00p 1.37%
SSE (SSE) 1,360.00p 1.19%
National Grid (NG.) 876.40p 1.13%
United Utilities Group (UU.) 797.50p 1.01%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Micro Focus International (MCRO) 2,558.00p -3.65%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 944.50p -3.47%
Pearson (PSON) 694.00p -1.98%
Fresnillo (FRES) 1,341.00p -1.76%
Anglo American (AAL) 1,436.00p -1.68%
Shire Plc (SHP) 3,661.50p -1.33%
Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 3,042.00p -1.33%
Merlin Entertainments (MERL) 357.50p -1.22%
Glencore (GLEN) 357.95p -1.21%
Barclays (BARC) 187.20p -1.14%