observation21 Feb 2018 09:50
At the top of the FTSE 100 was Barratt Developments, up 2.6%, after it said revenue rose 9.5% in the six months to December 31 to GBP1.99 billion, while pretax profit rose 6.8% to GBP342.7 million from GBP321.0 million a year earlier.
Total completions rose 2.0% to 7,324 from 7,180 a year earlier.
The company proposed an interim dividend per share of 8.6 pence, up 18% on 7.3p in 2016 and reiterated its intention to pay a special dividend of GBP175 million in November 2018, and added it proposes to pay a further special dividend of GBP175 million in November 2019.