FTSE 250 movers: Mixed bag from retailers

14th Oct 2010 14:04

Retail-related stocks are mixed today after updates. Cash and carry group Booker is higher after it posted a sharp rise in interim profits and reported strong turnover so far in the second half.So is WH Smith. The newsagent and bookshop operator posted a strong rise in profits and upped its final dividend by a fifth after a record year from its outlets in railway stations and airports.Mothercare, the baby clothes and children's toy retailer, put in a better performance during the second quarter, narrowing the decline in like for like sales compared with the first three months, but the shares are lower.In other sectors, business process outsourcing firm Xchanging is wanted after saying it has had its contract with one of America's leading credit card companies renewed.Emerging markets asset manager Ashmore grew assets under management (AuM) by 18% in the three months to 30 September, much more than expected.Pub chain JD Wetherspoon gets the wooden spoon today. It is losing its finance director and chief operating officer "in due course" after just a couple of years on the board.FTSE 250 - RisersBooker Group (BOK) 53.20p +6.96%SIG (SHI) 113.80p +5.86%WH Smith (SMWH) 480.60p +5.63%Ashmore Group (ASHM) 379.90p +5.03%Renishaw (RSW) 1,178.00p +4.99%Moneysupermarket.com Group (MONY) 82.05p +3.80%Genus (GNS) 850.50p +3.72%Keller Group (KLR) 615.50p +3.45%Rank Group (RNK) 131.80p +3.21%Xchanging (XCH) 139.20p +3.11%FTSE 250 - FallersJD Wetherspoon (JDW) 427.80p -5.92%Supergroup (SGP) 1,080.00p -4.34%Mothercare (MTC) 494.70p -4.22%Devro (DVO) 238.20p -3.76%Mcbride (MCB) 179.90p -2.76%Rotork (ROR) 1,844.00p -2.69%Sports Direct International (SPD) 148.80p -2.62%Ocado Group (OCDO) 123.70p -2.60%PartyGaming (PRTY) 277.30p -2.36%Halma (HLMA) 335.00p -2.33%