FTSE 250 movers: Amlin sinks on weak profits, Electrocomponents up as chairman buys shares

Amlin, the British insurer and re-insurer, topped the fallers after reporting a drop in full-year pre-tax profit by 21%, as an environment of low interest rates and weaker investment return dented profitability. Broker Numis Securities cut its rating on the stock from' buy' to 'hold', noting the results contained mixed divisional performance

Ultra Electronics was also weaker as its profits for 2014 were damaged by the early termination of its Oman Airport IT contract.

Alent was among the risers after revealing it expects to continue outperforming the market this year, following improved results for 2014 on a constant-currency basis. Revenues rose as the demand in the electronics and industrial markets increased, while the company announced a higher full-year dividend.

Keller Group was trading higher as annual adjusted pre-tax profit and revenue both despite the strengthening pound. Keller’s chief executive Justin Atkinson said: "Whilst conditions in our main markets remain mixed, the gradual upturn in the US, our largest market, the continuing improvements in our operating performance and our strong order book mean that the group is set for another year of good progress in 2015.”

Electrocomponents was boosted as its chairman bought 50,000 shares in the group for an individual price of 230.15p. After spending a total of £115,075 in the transaction, Johnson holds 150,000 shares, which represent 0.1% of the issued share capital.

Risers
Afren (AFR) 10.28p +19.47%
Allied Minds (ALM) 640.50p +7.65%
Keller Group (KLR) 1,070.00p +5.63%
Oxford Instruments (OXIG) 793.00p +4.82%
Alent (ALNT) 368.30p +4.51%
Just Eat (JE.) 372.80p +3.73%
Electrocomponents (ECM) 232.90p +3.70%
Bank of Georgia Holdings (BGEO) 1,787.00p +3.59%
Great Portland Estates (GPOR) 821.50p +2.62%
Domino's Pizza Group (DOM) 740.50p +2.49%

Fallers
Amlin (AML) 494.00p -6.70%
Premier Oil (PMO) 158.70p -5.82%
Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE) 1,699.00p -5.61%
Cairn Energy (CNE) 194.70p -4.32%
Serco Group (SRP) 213.30p -4.09%
RPS Group (RPS) 255.20p -3.63%
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment (BPTY) 82.30p -3.52%
Drax Group (DRX) 399.60p -3.38%
Soco International (SIA) 271.40p -3.24%
Domino Printing Sciences (DNO) 745.00p -3.18%