FTSE 250 movers: Kaz and Vedanta gain as copper rallies

London’s FTSE 250 was down 0.3% to 20,205.03 in afternoon trade on Monday.

Troubled subprime lender Provident Financial was on the front foot after Numis lifted its forecasts on the buy-rated stock. The brokerage upped its underlying 2017 earnings per share estimate 15% to 55.7p and its 2018 forecast by 18% to 40.0p.

Kaz Minerals and Vedanta Resources got a boost as copper prices hit a fresh three-year high after China’s consumer price index jumped 1.6% in September from the year before, in line with expectations. Meanwhile, the producer price index was up 6.9% last month from a year ago, beating expectations

Going the other way, outsourcer Capita was under the cosh as last minute talks over changes to its pension scheme broke down. The Unite union said staff will now be taking part in nine days of industrial action because Capita is attempting to close the current defined benefit scheme and transfer staff to a defined contribution scheme.

FTSE 250 - Risers

Sirius Minerals (SXX) 27.76p 6.77%
Provident Financial (PFG) 943.00p 6.31%
CLS Holdings (CLI) 219.00p 3.74%
Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 432.60p 2.68%
Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 1,154.00p 2.67%
Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 870.50p 2.53%
Vedanta Resources (VED) 920.50p 2.51%
TalkTalk Telecom Group (TALK) 210.00p 2.49%
St. Modwen Properties (SMP) 390.90p 2.46%
Paragon Banking Group (PAG) 463.20p 2.46%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Brown (N.) Group (BWNG) 324.20p -6.60%
Capita (CPI) 551.00p -3.59%
Howden Joinery Group (HWDN) 412.90p -3.03%
Ocado Group (OCDO) 301.20p -2.49%
Pagegroup (PAGE) 463.60p -2.44%
Essentra (ESNT) 516.00p -2.18%
Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE) 1,822.00p -2.10%
Cobham (COB) 141.50p -2.08%
JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 359.00p -2.05%
SIG (SHI) 175.60p -1.84%