FTSE 250 movers: RPS continues to slide, Direct Line lifted by special divi

1st Aug 2014 14:20

RPS, which provides consultancy services to the natural resources, land and property sectors, continued to fall one day after the group posted a fall in revenue from £280.9m to £279.4m. Broker Jefferies on Friday reduced its target price from 385p to 320p.Hedge fund manager Man Group announced higher funds under management, but shares fell after it reported mixed first half investment performance and voiced caution about the rest of the year. Man said funds under management in the six months to 30 June rose 7% to $57.7bn from $54.1bn at the end of December last year. Panmure Gordon downgraded the stock from 'buy' to 'hold' with a target price of 125p.Meanwhile, British insurer Direct Line reported higher half-year profits despite bad weather and competitive markets and announced a special dividend. Direct Line, which floated in October 2012 at 175p per share, said group pre-tax profit rose 7.8% to £225.1m in the six months to 30 June despite a 13.1% fall in operating profit on continuing operations to £249.1m.PZ Cussons was helped into positive territory after Panmure Gordon moved its target price from 400p to 410p and retained a 'buy' recommendation.FTSE 250 - RisersJust Eat (JE.) 211.30p +4.86%Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 296.40p +4.00%Afren (AFR) 114.30p +3.91%Fisher (James) & Sons (FSJ) 1,344.00p +2.21%Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) 181.70p +2.02%Bank of Georgia Holdings (BGEO) 2,484.00p +2.01%CSR (CSR) 536.00p +1.42%PZ Cussons (PZC) 358.40p +1.41%Tate & Lyle (TATE) 632.00p +1.28%IG Group Holdings (IGG) 617.00p +1.15%FTSE 250 - FallersAshmore Group (ASHM) 333.60p -5.98%RPS Group (RPS) 243.20p -4.81%Centamin (DI) (CEY) 69.00p -4.37%Man Group (EMG) 114.10p -4.12%Kazakhmys (KAZ) 312.50p -3.79%Infinis Energy (INFI) 223.90p -3.70%Jupiter Fund Management (JUP) 369.30p -3.53%Foxtons Group (FOXT) 259.80p -3.46%Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 1,047.00p -3.41%Serco Group (SRP) 349.60p -3.35%NR