FTSE 100 movers: Profit rise points Compass higher

13th May 2009 13:44

Caterer Compass is bucking the general downward trend after it reported a stronger-than-expected 41% rise in half-year profits thanks to new contract wins and cost cuts.Another food related stock, Unilever, whose range includes Pot Noodles and Persil, is boosted by a positive note from Charles Stanley. The broker has raised its recommendation to 'accumulate' from 'sell' following the group's first quarter results and the positive impression created by Unilever's new chief executive, Paul Polman.Drug groups AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline are also lower as investors seek defensive stocks amid general market weakness.Companies keeping Footsie lower include property giant Land Securities, which saw its net asset value slashed by two-thirds in 2008 in what it described as 'unprecedented market conditions.'Insurer Legal & General falls even though it reported a better than expected 3% increase in first quarter worldwide new business and a "modest" improvement in its IGD capital surplus from previous estimates.FTSE 100 - RisersCompass Group (CPG) 357.00p +7.29%Unilever (ULVR) 1,528.00p +3.87%Shire Plc (SHP) 887.50p +3.80%Severn Trent (SVT) 1,159.00p +3.48%AstraZeneca (AZN) 2,660.00p +2.70%Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 1,640.00p +2.44%Cable & Wireless (CW.) 160.10p +2.37%GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,078.00p +2.28%United Utilities Group (UU.) 552.50p +2.13%Cadbury (CBRY) 548.00p +1.95%FTSE 100 - FallersLand Securities Group (LAND) 478.25p -11.27%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 38.60p -11.26%Eurasian Natural Resources (ENRC) 571.00p -10.85%Kazakhmys (KAZ) 595.50p -10.65%Legal & General Group (LGEN) 58.70p -10.38%Xstrata (XTA) 612.50p -10.12%Aviva (AV.) 310.25p -9.28%Barclays (BARC) 244.50p -8.94%Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,555.00p -8.78%Fresnillo (FRES) 556.50p -8.62%