FTSE 250 movers: Ashtead leads the market higher

9th Dec 2010 15:06

Top of the list on Thursday afternoon is equipment hire firm Ashtead which said growing sales in North America lifted second quarter sales but it warned end markets remain fragile. Underlying pre-tax profit rose 49% to £18.1m in the second quarter ended 31 October 2010. Revenue advanced 9% to £245.2m.DS Smith is doing well after it announced higher revenues and profits in the first half and said the strong performance had continued despite rising input costs.Premier Farnell is the worst performer of the day despite reporting a strong third quarter. The electronic and industrial components supplier kept up the momentum from the second quarter into the third posting a 70% surge in profit.IG Group is also among the fallers even though the spread-betting company saw a 9% jump in first half revenue to £157m, even though a number of regulatory hurdles were seen in its businesses in Japan and the US.FTSE 250 - RisersAshtead Group (AHT) 156.00p +8.56%DS Smith (SMDS) 205.30p +6.82%Grainger (GRI) 105.30p +6.74%Bellway (BWY) 652.50p +5.93%Helical Bar (HLCL) 297.00p +5.69%Heritage Oil (HOIL) 432.00p +5.31%Balfour Beatty (BBY) 308.00p +4.69%Enterprise Inns (ETI) 115.40p +4.62%JD Wetherspoon (JDW) 457.20p +4.60%Persimmon (PSN) 428.40p +4.41%FTSE 250 - FallersPremier Farnell (PFL) 280.20p -7.52%Centamin Egypt Ltd. (CEY) 168.00p -6.61%Kesa Electricals (KESA) 160.30p -5.48%IG Group Holdings (IGG) 492.80p -4.59%Inchcape (INCH) 351.50p -4.51%Debenhams (DEB) 71.40p -3.19%COLT Group SA (COLT) 124.80p -3.18%Electrocomponents (ECM) 264.30p -3.04%IMI (IMI) 897.50p -2.82%WH Smith (SMWH) 501.00p -2.81%