NEX Group Share News (NXG)

LONDON (Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices on Friday.----------FTSE 100 - LOSERS----------Berkeley Group, down 5.5%. The housebuilder said it has continued to trade in line with its business plan requirements since the first half of its financial year, despite constrained market conditions. Berkeley said it expects forward sales at the end of the year ending April 30 over GBP2.00 billion, compared to GBP2.74 billion the year before, which allows the group to reaffirm its guidance for GBP3.30 billion in pretax profit over the five year period from May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2021. However, Berkeley did state it is currently unable to increase production beyond its business plan levels, as market conditions in London and the South East region of England remain constrained as home movers and downsizers are constrained by high transaction costs and economic uncertainty. Berkeley said it remains cautious in its investment strategy, selectively acquire land in the trading period, expecting cash flow to be working capital neutral over the year as a whole. Peers Barratt Developments, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon were down 1.4%, 1.1% and 1.0% respectively. Old Mutual, down 1.6%. The Anglo-South African financial services company said it has agreed to sell its Latin American businesses to CMIG International, a financial holding company based in Singapore. The Latin American businesses are Old Mutual Colombia, a pensions, life insurance, mutual funds, and stock brokerage business; Old Mutual Mexico, a life insurance and mutual funds business; and Aiva, an investment advisor and a distribution platform for independent financial advisers in Latin America. The decision to sell Old Mutual's Latin American operations followed a strategic review, in which it was concluded that Old Mutual Emerging Markets should prioritise its sub-Saharan African businesses. Old Mutual itself is in the process of a managed separation of its component parts. The consideration for the disposal was not disclosed.----------FTSE 250 - WINNERS----------NEX Group, up 33%. The financial technology company late Thursday confirmed it has received a preliminary takeover approach by US derivatives exchange operator CME Group. NEX said discussions are at an early stage and there can be no certainty that an offer for NEX will be made, nor as to the terms of any offer, if made. The announcement was made with the consent of CME, NEX said. Societe Generale raised the stock to Buy from Hold. ----------FTSE 250 - LOSERS----------Investec, down 3.8%. The Anglo-South African financial services company said for its current year it expects its Asset Management and Wealth & Investment divisions to be ahead of the year before, despite Brexit and political uncertainty. Operating profit for the year ending March 31 is expected to be in line with the year before, which stood at GBP663.7 million. Revenue for its operations as a whole is expected to be ahead of the prior year, and recurring income is set to represent 76% of total operating income. However impairments are expected to rise, and expenses are set to be slightly ahead of revenue due to continued planned investment in growing Investec's client franchise businesses and related infrastructure, as well as costs from the London office move.Greencore, down 2.9%. Shore Capital downgraded the sandwich and salad maker to Hold from Buy. ----------MAIN MARKET AND AIM - LOSERS----------Clear Leisure, down 21% at 0.733p. The Italy-focused leisure, real estate and cryptocurrency investor said it raised GBP300,000 in an over-subscribed and deeply discounted share placing. Clear Leisure issued 42.9 million shares at 0.7 pence per share. After admission - expected next Wednesday - Clear Leisure will have 433.8 million shares outstanding. The company said proceeds from the placing would go towards working capital, legal costs for debt recovery proceedings and development of its cryptocurrency strategy.----------