Sector movers: Intu and British Land lead real estate stocks lower

Real estate groups were among the worst performers in London on Wednesday with broker downgrades hitting shares of heavyweights Intu Properties and British Land.

Shopping centre owner Intu fell 3% to 365.2p after analysts at Barclays lowered their rating on the stock from ‘equal weight’ to ‘underweight’.

British Land dropped 2.8% to 806.5p after Peel Hunt downgraded the UK retail and London office investor to ‘hold’.

Hammerson, Land Securities, Derwent London, Great Portland Estates and Segro were also registering losses in afternoon trade.

Bucking the trend was Helical Bar which rose 1.8% after the property company updated the market on its continued “rotation” of its portfolio out of shopping centres and into regional logistic facilities and offices.

A&J Mucklow also rose 0.9% after saying that statutory pre-tax profit nearly doubled to £27.4m in its first half, as it increased its interim dividend by 3%.

Top performing sectors so far today
Electronic & Electrical Equipment 4,157.48 +2.11%
Construction & Materials 4,883.95 +2.08%
Technology Hardware & Equipment 1,283.64 +1.52%
Industrial Metals & Mining 1,911.64 +1.46%
Insurance (non-life) 2,085.91 +1.27%

Bottom performing sectors so far today
Mobile Telecommunications 5,135.63 -1.98%
Real Estate Investment Trusts 3,249.68 -1.90%
Tobacco 42,304.62 -1.49%
Gas, Water & Multiutilities 5,938.87 -1.15%
Beverages 14,480.06 -1.13%