FTSE 250 movers: Airlines fly higher; Cineworld retreats

London’s FTSE 100 was up 0.3% at 20,329.47 in afternoon trade on Thursday.

Budget airline easyJet flew higher despite saying it expected to fly no more than 10% of 2019 capacity in the second quarter as tighter coronavirus restrictions triggered an 88% slump in revenue for the three months.

Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air was also firmer even after saying that it swung to a loss in the third quarter as revenues were dented by the pandemic.

Tate & Lyle gained as it reported improved third-quarter revenues, boosted by strengthening global demand, and forecast final profits "modestly" up on the previous year. Group revenues improved 8% in the three months to 31 December. Within that, sucralose revenues dipped 3% but food and beverage solutions rose 8% and primary products was ahead 9%.

Paragon Banking was on the back foot as its stock went ex-dividend, while Cineworld retreated, having surged a day earlier in a short squeeze.

FTSE 250 - Risers

Hochschild Mining (HOC) 207.00p 7.31%
TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 357.80p 6.49%
AO World (AO.) 317.50p 5.83%
easyJet (EZJ) 755.00p 5.74%
Wizz Air Holdings (WIZZ) 4,434.00p 5.47%
Meggitt (MGGT) 408.60p 5.07%
Tate & Lyle (TATE) 687.80p 4.05%
Ferrexpo (FXPO) 296.80p 3.92%
Weir Group (WEIR) 1,932.50p 3.70%
Carnival (CCL) 1,226.00p 3.68%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

PureTech Health (PRTC) 361.00p -5.74%
Paragon Banking Group (PAG) 449.80p -5.66%
Cineworld Group (CINE) 76.74p -4.55%
Network International Holdings (NETW) 354.80p -4.52%
Plus500 Ltd (DI) (PLUS) 1,329.00p -3.80%
Safestore Holdings (SAFE) 801.00p -3.32%
VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Ltd. (VOF) 409.50p -3.31%
Watches of Switzerland Group (WOSG) 645.00p -3.15%
Vietnam Enterprise Investments (DI) (VEIL) 585.00p -3.15%
Herald Investment Trust (HRI) 2,185.00p -3.10%