FTSE 250 movers: Travel & leisure stocks gain; AO World slides

The FTSE 250 was up 0.8% at 19,737.48 in afternoon trade on Tuesday.

Upper Crust owner SSP - which has outlets at train stations and airports - travel company TUI, cruise operator Carnival, Cineworld and budget airline easyJet all rallied.

The stocks were boosted by recent Covid-19 vaccine updates and news that from next month, travellers who arrive in England will be able to cut their quarantine to five days from 14 if they test negative for coronavirus on the fifth day. Passengers will have to pay for the tests privately.

AO World was under the cosh even as the online electricals retailer said it swung to a profit in the first half as strong demand amid the pandemic boosted revenues. In the six months to 30 September, the company swung to a pre-tax profit of £18.3m from a loss of £5.9m in the same period a year ago, with revenue up 53.2% to £717m.

Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor said: “It remains to be seen whether the meteoric rise can be continued, but for the moment an increase in the share price of 382% over the last year, as compared to a dip of 4.4% for the wider FTSE250, has rewarded shareholders handsomely.

"Even though this can partially explain an inevitable bout of strong profit-taking on these numbers, the market consensus of the shares as a buy remains in place despite the blistering outperformance overall."

Gold miner Hochschild Mining was in the red as gold prices fell to a four-month low.

FTSE 250 - Risers

SSP Group (SSPG) 354.60p 12.79%
TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 527.40p 11.78%
Micro Focus International (MCRO) 368.40p 11.53%
Carnival (CCL) 1,321.00p 9.58%
Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 170.80p 8.96%
Wood Group (John) (WG.) 305.60p 8.10%
Cineworld Group (CINE) 59.62p 7.81%
Meggitt (MGGT) 430.10p 7.66%
easyJet (EZJ) 836.80p 7.36%
Capita (CPI) 49.83p 6.84%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

AO World (AO.) 388.50p -7.39%
Diploma (DPLM) 2,112.00p -4.26%
Dechra Pharmaceuticals (DPH) 3,218.00p -3.94%
Spirent Communications (SPT) 251.50p -3.64%
Morgan Sindall Group (MGNS) 1,406.00p -3.17%
Games Workshop Group (GAW) 9,540.00p -3.10%
Frasers Group (FRAS) 460.20p -2.83%
Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE) 2,194.00p -2.75%
Kainos Group (KNOS) 1,240.00p -2.67%
Hochschild Mining (HOC) 211.20p -2.58%