FTSE 250 movers: Miners provide a lift, retailers fall

7th Feb 2014 13:55

Mining stocks were among the best performers on the FTSE 250 on Friday as metal prices more or less rose across the board. Kenmare Resources, Vedanta Resources and EVRAZ were putting in decent gains.Copper prices, in particular, were up 0.5% at $3,245 a pound, heading for the biggest weekly gain (+1.5%) since late-December.Leading the downside were High Street retailers JD Sports Fashion and SuperGroup. SuperGroup was pulling back sharply after advancing on Thursday following its well-received third-quarter statement which revealed that sales had grown 22.1%.Imagination Technologies was also retreating after a 14% gain yesterday as it revealed that Apple had extended a "multi-year, multi-use licence agreement" with the chip designer.Manufacturing company Rotork was among the best performers after analysts at Berenberg upgraded the stock to 'buy', saying that the 18% pull-back in the stock so far this year has presented a "rare buying opportunity".Insurance firm Beazley was extending gains after impressing with its annual results yesterday. Canaccord Genuity raised its target price for the stock today from 265p to 290p, saying that "prospects remain materially better than the peer group average".FTSE 250 - RisersAlent (ALNT) 332.00p +5.90%Kenmare Resources (KMR) 15.24p +4.74%Vedanta Resources (VED) 852.00p +3.59%Evraz (EVR) 83.40p +3.35%Rotork (ROR) 2,428.00p +3.23%BlackRock World Mining Trust (BRWM) 494.50p +3.02%Carillion (CLLN) 343.40p +2.91%Fidessa Group (FDSA) 2,351.00p +2.66%Beazley (BEZ) 274.80p +2.54%Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 117.70p +2.53%FTSE 250 - FallersJD Sports Fashion (JD.) 1,470.00p -4.42%Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) 178.60p -3.51%Perform Group (PER) 229.10p -2.51%Paragon Group Of Companies (PAG) 357.80p -1.97%Supergroup (SGP) 1,570.00p -1.88%Essar Energy (ESSR) 56.30p -1.83%Brewin Dolphin Holdings (BRW) 314.20p -1.81%Go-Ahead Group (GOG) 1,971.00p -1.79%Xaar (XAR) 1,085.00p -1.36%Aveva Group (AVV) 2,032.00p -1.36%BC