FTSE 100 movers: Smith & Nephew healthy after broker note; Anglo American slips

Positive broker notes helped boost major stocks and keep the FTSE 100 in the black on Thursday as Smith & Nephew shares led the way.

Smith & Nephew was riding high after an upgrade to ‘overweight’ at JPMorgan Cazenove.

Bunzl was boosted by an upgrade to ‘buy’ at Goldman Sachs, and Next was up after RBC Capital Markets lifted the stock to ‘outperform’.

Shares in Diageo rose percent on the back of half-year results with sales up by 1.7%.

Amid an ongoing takeover bid from 21st Century Fox, Sky reported a 5% increase in like-for-like revenue in its first half on Thursday, to £6.7bn.

The FTSE 100 company said established business EBITDA was ahead 15% in the six months to 31 December, to £1.2bn, while there was a 10% increase in EBITDA overall to £1.1bn,

Mining giant Anglo American slipped after it reported a 5% jump in 2017 output,

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,655.50 0.16%
FTSE 250 (MCX) 20,564.90 0.13%
techMARK (TASX) 3,471.58 0.00%

FTSE 100 - Risers

Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,294.00p 4.19%
Bunzl (BNZL) 1,997.00p 2.89%
Next (NXT) 5,030.00p 2.40%
Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,847.00p 2.26%
Mediclinic International (MDC) 628.80p 1.95%
Admiral Group (ADM) 1,883.50p 1.84%
Standard Chartered (STAN) 838.80p 1.56%
AstraZeneca (AZN) 5,045.65p 1.50%
Evraz (EVR) 379.60p 1.36%
Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 374.40p 1.16%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 847.80p -1.60%
easyJet (EZJ) 1,655.50p -1.40%
3i Group (III) 913.00p -1.30%
Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI) (CCH) 2,380.00p -1.24%
Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) 2,528.00p -1.17%
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 641.80p -1.17%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 948.00p -1.17%
Relx plc (REL) 1,567.50p -1.17%
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 4,771.00p -1.08%
Shire Plc (SHP) 3,394.00p -0.88%