FTSE 250 movers: LSE drops after Italian banks sell stakes

23rd May 2012 15:54

Italian banks UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo have announced that they have sold their combined 11.5% stake of market operator London Stock Exchange (LSE), causing shares to take a tumble today. The banks made the transaction via an "accelerated bookbuild" at 960p per share, a discount to Tuesday's closing price. Heading the other way was bus and train operator FirstGroup after revealing plans to shake up its UK bus operations to focus on those areas that offer the greatest potential for growth. The group announced full year results for the year to the end of March that were slightly ahead of expectations, but counter-balanced the good news with a warning about the tough market conditions its bus operations face, particularly in Scotland and the north of England. Online grocer Ocado was another higher riser after saying it expects year on year gross sales growth of around 13% for the 12 weeks ending 13 May as demand for online food shopping grows and it overcomes constraints at its warehouse in Hatfield. FTSE 250 - RisersFirstGroup (FGP) 220.40p +7.56%COLT Group SA (COLT) 117.80p +4.34%Paragon Group Of Companies (PAG) 163.80p +4.33%Ocado Group (OCDO) 105.70p +3.83%Spirent Communications (SPT) 158.50p +3.06%Daejan Holdings (DJAN) 2,744.00p +2.85%JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 722.00p +2.63%Great Portland Estates (GPOR) 391.90p +2.54%Hansteen Holdings (HSTN) 72.20p +2.34%QinetiQ Group (QQ.) 146.90p +2.23%FTSE 250 - FallersAquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP) 73.00p -12.26%Ferrexpo (FXPO) 207.40p -9.51%Petropavlovsk (POG) 380.60p -9.08%London Stock Exchange Group (LSE) 944.00p -7.54%Bumi (BUMI) 403.00p -7.36%Kenmare Resources (KMR) 41.16p -7.00%New World Resources A Shares (NWR) 314.70p -6.89%Lonmin (LMI) 734.50p -6.37%Essar Energy (ESSR) 113.40p -6.20%Centamin (DI) (CEY) 65.00p -5.80%NR