FTSE 100 movers: Rolls-Royce retreats; AstraZeneca gains

(Sharecast News) - London's FTSE 250 was down 0.2% at 7,323.62 in afternoon trade on Thursday.

Engine maker Rolls-Royce was on the back foot after it said annual free cash flow would be better than expected after trading improved, but sales at its civil aerospace were lower than forecast.

It was also dragged lower by broader weakness in travel-related shares, with BA and Iberia owner IAG down after the government announced fresh Covid restrictions on Wednesday.

B&M European Value was among the risers after saying it would pay out £250m to shareholders in a special dividend reflecting strong trading at the discount retailer.

AstraZeneca gained as it said its Evusheld antibody combination has been granted emergency use authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of Covid-19 in adults and adolescents who are immunocompromised.

Evusheld, which is tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab, can be used in people with moderate to severe immune compromise due to a medical condition or immunosuppressive medications and who may not mount an adequate immune response to Covid-19 vaccination. It can also be used in individuals for whom Covid vaccination is not recommended.

FTSE 100 - Risers

BT Group (BT.A) 176.40p 2.65%
Intertek Group (ITRK) 5,788.00p 2.52%
Spirax-Sarco Engineering (SPX) 16,270.00p 1.59%
Sage Group (SGE) 821.40p 1.48%
Experian (EXPN) 3,658.00p 1.41%
Rentokil Initial (RTO) 635.20p 1.40%
B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI) (BME) 638.60p 1.40%
Halma (HLMA) 3,145.00p 1.39%
AstraZeneca (AZN) 8,386.00p 1.23%
SEGRO (SGRO) 1,421.50p 1.07%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 123.88p -3.70%
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 138.08p -3.28%
Entain (ENT) 1,674.50p -2.65%
Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 2,038.00p -2.53%
Anglo American (AAL) 2,926.50p -2.16%
Evraz (EVR) 597.60p -1.81%
M&G (MNG) 195.95p -1.78%
BP (BP.) 342.70p -1.72%
Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 1,660.40p -1.69%
Intermediate Capital Group (ICP) 2,210.00p -1.65%