FTSE 100 movers: Diageo fizzes higher as pound slumps; NMC tumbles
London’s FTSE 100 was up 0.9% at 7,349.34 in afternoon trade on Monday as sterling slumped amid worries about the potential for a hard Brexit.
With sterling under the cosh, exporter Diageo was the standout gainer.
EasyJet flew higher after fellow budget airline Ryanair said it swung to a third-quarter profit of €88m from a loss of €66m in the same period a year ago, thanks to a solid performance over the festive period. Revenue at Ryanair was up 21% to €1.58bn and average fares rose 9%. The company pointed to better-than-expected Christmas and New Year bookings at higher faces.
On the downside, UAE healthcare operator NMC Health tanked. Shares have been under pressure since US research firm and short-seller Muddy Waters accused the company in December of manipulating its balance sheet to understate debt.
Abu Dhabi-based NMC said in January that it had appointed former FBI director Louis Freeh and his risk management company to look into the allegations by Muddy Waters. The slump coincided with a sharp selloff in shares of Travelex owner Finablr, which shares a founder and a chair with NMC.
FTSE 100 - Risers
Diageo (DGE) 3,098.00p 2.92%
Auto Trader Group (AUTO) 577.20p 2.70%
Rentokil Initial (RTO) 477.50p 2.25%
BT Group (BT.A) 164.40p 2.16%
easyJet (EZJ) 1,421.50p 2.05%
Aveva Group (AVV) 5,010.00p 1.87%
SSE (SSE) 1,535.00p 1.76%
Experian (EXPN) 2,680.00p 1.63%
Scottish Mortgage Inv Trust (SMT) 590.00p 1.55%
Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 1,751.00p 1.51%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
NMC Health (NMC) 1,068.50p -17.30%
Polymetal International (POLY) 1,263.00p -1.79%
Glencore (GLEN) 219.95p -1.15%
Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 1,977.20p -1.14%
Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 1,973.00p -1.07%
Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 180.15p -0.99%
Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 216.30p -0.92%
Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 56.27p -0.92%
Legal & General Group (LGEN) 303.20p -0.75%
Spirax-Sarco Engineering (SPX) 8,860.00p -0.67%