UK WINNERS & LOSERS SUMMARY: IAG Takes Off Amid Heathrow Virus Testing

Tue, 20th Oct 2020 10:46

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

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FTSE 100 - WINNERS

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International Consolidated Airlines Group, up 7.5%. The British Airways owner rose after a news that a pre-departure rapid Covid-19 testing facility has been launched at Heathrow Airport in London. From Tuesday, the facilities in Terminals 2 and 5 will initially offer tests to passengers travelling to Hong Kong and Italy before they fly. To start, the facilities will offer LAMP testing and will expand to offer antigen testing in the coming weeks. Unlike PCR tests, which are used by the NHS, LAMP and antigen tests can be processed without being sent to a laboratory.

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FTSE 250 - WINNERS

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Britvic, up 5.7% after the soft drinks maker landed a 20-year franchise bottling agreement with PepsiCo and said financial 2020 adjusted earnings before interest and tax will be "slightly" ahead of current market estimates due to better-than-expected trading in peak summer period.

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Vesuvius, rose 5.3% after the metal flow engineering company reinstated dividend payments, starting with a 3.1 pence per share interim payout, down 50% annually.

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FTSE 250 - LOSERS

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Trainline, down 9.8%, said Chief Executive Officer Clare Gilmartin will round off a seven-year stint in the post in February, though she will remain with the rail and coach booking platform as a senior advisor. Chief Operating Officer Jody Ford will succeed Gilmartin as CEO.

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Softcat, down 7.5% after cutting its special payout. Softcat raised its total ordinary dividend by 11% to 16.6 pence and proposed a special payout of 7.6p, though this is down 53% from a year earlier. The IT infrastructure products and services firm's revenue climbed 8.6% to GBP1.08 billion in the 12 months ended July 31, with pretax profit rising 10% to GBP93.6 million.

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OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - WINNERS

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Luceco, up 12% after the Telford-based LED lighting manufacturer said its third quarter and current trading are ahead of previous expectations. Luceco raised its annual adjusted operating profit expectations to between GBP28 million and GBP30 million, from the previous GBP23 million forecast.

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Vela Technologies, up 14%, invests in a potential Covid-19 treatment for diabetes sufferers developed by St George Street Capital. Also raises GBP1.3 million in placing of 1.92 billion shares at 0.065p each. "Placing will be used to satisfy the cash consideration payable to SGS under the agreement," Vela said.

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OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - LOSERS

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Mosman Oil & Gas, down 23%, plans to raise GBP900,000 through placing of 720.0 million shares at 0.125 pence each, a 31% discount to its closing price on Monday. Placing proceeds will be used to fund drilling of the Galaxie prospect in Texas.

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TP Group, down 14%, said its pretax loss in the six months ended June 30 widened to GBP1.8 million from GBP958,000 a year earlier. Revenue rose by a third to GBP27.5 million from GBP20.6 million.

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By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com