FTSE 100 movers: EasyJet flies higher ahead of results; Barratt drops
London's FTSE 100 was flat at 7,014.54 in afternoon trade on Monday as investors continued to mull over Theresa May's speech at the annual CBI conference.
Budget airline EasyJet flew higher ahead of its full-year results on Tuesday. UBS is forecasting headline pre-tax profit of £584m versus guidance of between £570m and £584m. "The company has already provided a year end update…so we think surprises are unlikely," it said.
Housebuilder Barratt Developments was a little weaker as the latest Rightmove survey revealed that UK house prices fell by 1.7% on the month in November versus a 1% increase in October. This marked the largest November drop since 2012, as new sellers priced their homes more realistically in the run-up to Christmas against a backdrop of stretched affordability and Brexit uncertainty.
On the year, house prices were down 0.2% compared to a 0.9% rise in September.
Rightmove said that while it is normal for seller asking prices to fall at this time of the year, cooling markets in the south and in the upper price sectors, along with political uncertainty, have resulted in new sellers lowering their asking price aspirations earlier than usual.
Elsewhere, British Gas owner Centrica was in the red ahead of a trading update on Thursday, while specialty chemicals company Johnson Matthey retreated ahead of a trading statement on Wednesday.
Deutsche Bank expects Johnson Matthey to report an H1 EBIT increase of 6% year-on-year, with growth in Clean Air and Efficient Natural Resources offsetting some weakness in the health business.
"We expect management to reiterate its FY 18/19 outlook of mid to high single-digit growth in operating performance (at constant FX) and update on progress in battery materials," it said.
FTSE 100 - Risers
Micro Focus International (MCRO) 1,515.50p 3.55%
Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 56.02p 2.79%
3i Group (III) 816.60p 2.67%
easyJet (EZJ) 1,189.00p 2.32%
Fresnillo (FRES) 884.60p 2.27%
Severn Trent (SVT) 1,862.50p 2.14%
Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,500.00p 2.12%
Pearson (PSON) 948.80p 1.98%
Standard Chartered (STAN) 601.60p 1.88%
Anglo American (AAL) 1,733.20p 1.79%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Ocado Group (OCDO) 749.20p -2.50%
Imperial Brands (IMB) 2,592.00p -1.76%
Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 2,948.00p -1.73%
Centrica (CNA) 142.78p -1.70%
Just Eat (JE.) 547.60p -1.33%
Croda International (CRDA) 4,851.00p -1.00%
Barratt Developments (BDEV) 498.05p -0.98%
British Land Company (BLND) 589.20p -0.91%
Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,804.50p -0.72%
Ashtead Group (AHT) 1,865.00p -0.69%