UK WINNERS & LOSERS SUMMARY: Housebuilders Fall After Downbeat Data

Mon, 20th Apr 2020 10:38

(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices on Monday.

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FTSE 100 - WINNERS

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easyJet, up 3.5%. Late Friday, the budget airline said shareholders will get a vote on the future of its chief executive and chair at a general meeting, following calls from its founder and largest shareholder to revamp senior leadership. Founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou has repeatedly criticised management for its order of 107 Airbus jets. This deal was signed in 2013 at an estimated cost of GBP4.5 billion.

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FTSE 100 - LOSERS

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Barratt Developments, down 2.5%, Taylor Wimpey, down 2.4%, Persimmon, down 2.0%. The housebuilders were in the red after disappointing UK house price data from Rightmove. Industry experts warned the housing market was barely functioning due to lockdown restrictions. The latest data from Rightmove showed that the average price of property coming to market in the UK from March 8 to April 11 dipped 0.2% to GBP311,950. In April last year, UK house prices increased 2.1%. Miles Shipside, Rightmove director and housing market analyst, said: "We think it will take several months or more for the market to find its feet in this new unsteady world."

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Centrica, down 2.1%. HSBC downgraded the British Gas parent company to Reduce from Hold.

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Prudential, down 1.5%. HSBC cut the insurer to Hold from Buy.

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FTSE 250 - WINNERS

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Rank Group, up 6.0%. The gambling firm said it has furloughed around 90% of its workforce and a combination of cost cuts and financial help has slashed monthly expenses. Rank, which owns the Mecca Bingo brand, said roughly 7,000 of its 7,600 strong workforce have been furloughed, as it bids to weather the "economic turmoil" caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. Rank added it has a "small number of long-running VAT claims". Rank requested a GBP25.2 million payment from the UK tax office HMRC, after a tribunal ruled in favour of the FTSE 250 firm. HMRC has appealed the verdict and, should it be successful, Rank would be forced to repay the GBP25.2 million. Rank reported a mixed third-quarter trading performance. In the three months ended March 31, net gaming revenue rose 5% annually, though fell 4% on a like-for-like basis.

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Aston Martin Lagonda, up 3.9%. The luxury carmaker said it has now received complete acceptances for its rights issue of new shares, as new Chair Lawrence Stroll said the company will be fulfilling pre-orders for the new DBX sports utility vehicle. The luxury car manufacturer said it received valid acceptances for 1.2 billion new shares in its 4-for-1 rights issue. As at Monday, Aston Martin's issued share capital comprises 1.5 billion shares. In January, Aston Martin announced a GBP500 million funding plan as part of its efforts to bolster its finances, which included substantial investment by Formula 1 team Racing Point owner Stroll. Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team principal Toto Wolff bought a stake of 0.95% via investment vehicle ErsteAM, after the rights issue. The company confirmed that Stroll has commenced in his role as executive chair, adding that Penny Hughes has stepped down as chair and director.

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Future, up 3.3%. The magazine publisher said it has completed its takeover of rival TI Media but warned the coronavirus outbreak will take a toll on sales. The FTSE 250 firm, which owns football title FourFourTwo and music magazine What Hi-Fi?, said its audience numbers "remain strong" with some assets benefiting due to consumers searching for "advice and inspiration" during the pandemic. Magazine sales have been hurt by high street store closures, however. In the UK, stores not offering essential purchases were forced to close as part of lockdown measures made to contain the deadly coronavirus. At newly-acquired TI Media, Future expects the impact from Covid-19 to be greater, due to the unit being "less diversified". Senior management and board members also took a 20% salary cut in March, Future added.

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FTSE 250 - LOSERS

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IWG, down 2.8%. Peel Hunt downgraded the office provider to Hold from Buy.

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By Arvind Bhunjun; arvindbhunjun@alliancenews.com