FTSE 250 movers: Virgin Money slumps again; gold miners shine

The FTSE 250 was down 0.8% at 19,406.92 in afternoon trade on Thursday.

Virgin Money was the worst performer on the index a day after saying it had taken a £501m impairment charge due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bodycote was under the cosh after announcing another restructuring and saying it expects the civil aerospace market to remain near the current low levels for at least the next 18 months.

Online electricals retailer AO World was also weaker after Jefferies downgraded its stance on the shares to ‘hold’ from ‘buy’ after they surged to a record high.

"We continue to view AO as a strong growth story as it leverages enduring market shifts, develops the broader AO ecosystem, and builds scale in newer categories and territories," Jefferies said. "Reflecting our forecast upgrades and increasing confidence in longer-term profit generation, we raise our price target. However, the shares have had an outstanding run this year."

CMC Markets and Bellway were in the red as their stock went ex-dividend.

On the upside, gold miners Petropavlovsk and Hochschild shone, along with Centamin.

FTSE 250 - Risers

Petropavlovsk (POG) 27.25p 5.42%
Hochschild Mining (HOC) 224.60p 4.76%
Babcock International Group (BAB) 362.00p 3.19%
Future (FUTR) 1,684.00p 3.06%
Games Workshop Group (GAW) 9,425.00p 2.45%
Britvic (BVIC) 829.00p 2.28%
Centamin (DI) (CEY) 112.75p 2.22%
Baillie Gifford US Growth Trust (USA) 278.00p 2.21%
Spirent Communications (SPT) 257.00p 2.19%
Polypipe Group (PLP) 491.50p 2.08%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Virgin Money UK (VMUK) 126.65p -9.54%
Bodycote (BOY) 721.50p -5.93%
AO World (AO.) 358.50p -5.41%
CMC Markets (CMCX) 385.00p -5.29%
WH Smith (SMWH) 1,427.00p -4.80%
SSP Group (SSPG) 333.60p -4.69%
Bellway (BWY) 2,882.00p -4.28%
IWG (IWG) 326.40p -4.28%
Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 159.40p -4.12%
John Laing Group (JLG) 306.00p -3.95%