FTSE 100 movers: Smith and Nephew beat expectations

3rd May 2012 14:36

Shares in technology group Smith and Nephew marched ahead after profits and margins at medical beat both analysts' and management forecasts in the first quarter of 2012. Alcoholic drinks maker Diageo's was also on the up following its announcement that growth in the third quarter of its fiscal year was a shade ahead of some expectations, despite Europe proving something of a wet blanket.Meanwhile, leading the downside were resource stocks with Antofagasta being the worst performer after seeing production drop sharply in the first three months of 2012 as maintenance work, lower ore grades and technical problem hampered activity. Gold miner Randgold fell after revealing that both first-quarter profits and production decreased quarter-on-quarter as output was held back the political upheaval in Mali and issues in Côte d'Ivoire. Oil and gas group BG was another heavy faller despite a sharp increase in net earnings in the first quarter as it said that its Jasmine field will not start production until 2013, compared with previous guidance of last 2012.Insurance giant Legal and General also disappointed the market with its first-quarter revenue figure, which were barely changed from a year earlier. FTSE 100 - RisersSmith & Nephew (SN.) 634.00p +4.71%Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) 2,591.00p +2.25%Old Mutual (OML) 151.20p +2.02%Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,545.00p +1.98%Bunzl (BNZL) 1,066.00p +1.81%Tate & Lyle (TATE) 711.00p +1.72%British American Tobacco (BATS) 3,238.50p +1.58%Whitbread (WTB) 2,001.00p +1.42%Diageo (DGE) 1,612.00p +1.38%Vodafone Group (VOD) 174.20p +1.28%FTSE 100 - FallersAntofagasta (ANTO) 1,119.00p -3.45%Weir Group (WEIR) 1,629.00p -3.04%Kazakhmys (KAZ) 829.00p -2.47%BG Group (BG.) 1,417.00p -2.34%Legal & General Group (LGEN) 119.00p -2.30%Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 5,240.00p -2.06%BAE Systems (BA.) 286.40p -2.05%Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,392.00p -1.37%Vedanta Resources (VED) 1,192.00p -1.16%Evraz (EVR) 362.80p -1.12%NR