FTSE 250 movers: Hays jumps; Vistry slides

18th May 2026 15:38

(Sharecast News) - FTSE 250 (MCX) 22,705.94 0.49%

Recruitment firm Hays said it had appointed interim CEO Mark Dearnley to the post on a permanent basis.

Prior to being appointed interim CEO in February, Dearnley was Hays chief digital and technology officer having joined from Inchcape.

Vistry shares fell on a report the house builder had ordered subcontractors to halt work on new developments to preserve cash while more than £130m of off‑balance‑sheet investments have been red‑flagged, according to The Times.

The housebuilder - which trades as Bovis, Linden and Countryside - is facing a sharply falling share price and mounting pressure from hedge funds, with short positions hitting a record 12.5% of shares on loan after the stock shed a fifth of its value last week.

FTSE 250 - Risers

Ocado Group (OCDO) 201.60p 7.44%

WH Smith (SMWH) 480.40p 5.76%

THG (THG) 33.06p 5.34%

WPP (WPP) 274.10p 4.81%

Hays (HAS) 31.30p 4.63%

Lancashire Holdings Limited (LRE) 644.00p 3.87%

B&M European Value Retail (BME) 163.30p 3.81%

Dr. Martens (DOCS) 64.80p 3.53%

Frasers Group (FRAS) 696.50p 3.04%

RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI) (RHIM) 2,745.00p 3.02%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 47.54p -4.15%

RTW Biotech Opportunities Ltd (RTW) 2.13p -3.18%

JPMorgan Japanese Inv Trust (JFJ) 769.00p -3.15%

Morgan Sindall Group (MGNS) 4,400.00p -2.83%

Vistry Group (VTY) 269.60p -2.73%

Impax Environmental Markets (IEM) 452.00p -2.38%

Ashmore Group (ASHM) 212.80p -2.21%

ICG Enterprise Trust (ICGT) 1,356.00p -1.74%

Polar Capital Technology Trust (PCT) 658.50p -1.71%

Ashoka India Equity Investment Trust (AIE) 231.50p -1.70%