FTSE 250 movers: Ted Baker boosted as strike threat hits Wood Group

The FTSE 250 remained in the black in afternoon trading on Monday, though some stocks were under the pump as crude and copper prices fell.

Ted Baker was one of the leading risers, after analysts at Jefferies upgraded the stock to ‘buy’ from ‘hold’, though they did cut the price target to 3,000p from 3,400p in line with the sector de-rating of around 12%.

“We believe Ted’s c40% de-rating of the past five months, compared to 11-13% of the sector, is a disconnect to what remains a strong growth profile at the British brand,” the analysts said.

Property investor CLS Holdings was also rising on the back of its buyback, continuing a trend which began last week when its board confirmed it had received acceptances for its tender offer to purchase one in every 57 shares and cancel them, at a price of 1,810p per share.

Allied Minds was under pressure after reporting a wider loss for 2015 on Monday, which it blamed on an increase in investment in research and development and the creation of four new businesses during the year. The company posted a net loss of $97.9m (£67.8m) to 31 December, growing 69% from $57.9m in 2014. Net cash and investments decreased to $194.8m from $261.5m, while revenues fell to $3.3m from $7.7m.

Miner Vedanta Resources was also down, as copper prices dipped 0.46% to $225.80 per pound on the Comex at lunchtime. Shares in the diversified miner have been sliding since peaking at 446.7p last Wednesday, and started Monday in the black - though that quickly turned back to declines in early afternoon trading.

Oil services group Wood Group was lower after North Sea oil workers threatened to go on strike unless plans for further pay cuts are scrapped.

John Wood's management, which have been fighting the challenging conditions stemming from the low oil price environment, are due to hold talks with Unite union leaders later this week, after pushing through three contractor pay cuts over the last eighteen months and cutting 8,000 jobs, of which a quarter were UK-based. Unite claimed this will “make it impossible” for rigorous North Sea safety standards to be upheld.

FTSE 250 - Risers

CLS Holdings (CLI) 1,684.00p 9.07%
IP Group (IPO) 188.70p 6.73%
Ted Baker (TED) 2,576.00p 6.62%
Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 969.00p 6.48%
Shawbrook Group (SHAW) 283.60p 5.04%
Workspace Group (WKP) 810.50p 4.51%
Greggs (GRG) 1,082.00p 4.34%
Morgan Advanced Materials (MGAM) 233.50p 4.24%
Crest Nicholson Holdings (CRST) 496.60p 4.00%
Capital & Counties Properties (CAPC) 339.00p 3.76%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Vedanta Resources (VED) 412.20p -3.44%
Aggreko (AGK) 1,078.00p -3.14%
Wood Group (John) (WG.) 613.50p -3.08%
Investec (INVP) 527.00p -2.50%
Weir Group (WEIR) 1,187.00p -2.14%
IMI (IMI) 959.00p -1.99%
Acacia Mining (ACA) 324.80p -1.72%
Centamin (DI) (CEY) 106.00p -1.67%
Allied Minds (ALM) 395.90p -1.59%
Mitie Group (MTO) 268.70p -1.58%