23rd Apr 2026 10:20
(Alliance News) - The following are the leading risers and fallers among FTSE 100 and 250 index constituents on Thursday.
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FTSE 100 winners
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Metlen Energy & Metals PLC, up 1.7% at EUR34.39
SSE PLC, up 1.2% at 2,653.75p
Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, up 1.1% at 4,745.50p, bounces back after 4.6% fall on Wednesday
BT Group PLC, up 0.9% at 218.35p
Unilever PLC, up 0.7% at 4,228.50p
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FTSE 100 losers
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Legal & General Group PLC, down 5.8% at 253.10p, goes ex-dividend for final 15.67p payout
Fresnillo PLC, down 5.6% at 3,455.00p, goes ex-dividend for final 80.03p payout
J Sainsbury PLC, down 5.1% at 335.25p, warns of profit hit from Iran war
Entain PLC, down 4.9% at 566.60p, BofA cuts rating to 'neutral'
Experian PLC, down 4.3% at 2,757.00p
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FTSE 250 winners
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Domino's Pizza Group PLC, up 6.8% at 195.95p, backs full-year expectations
Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, up 4.3% at 1,378.25p, hails "encouraging start" to year
Ithaca Energy PLC, up 3.0% at 272.30p, tracks oil higher
Hilton Food Group PLC, up 2.1% at 546.25p
Harbour Energy PLC, up 1.9% at 291.70p
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FTSE 250 losers
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WH Smith PLC, down 10% at 565.75p, suspends dividend as loss widens
Man Group PLC, down 6.3% at 248.20p
SSP Group PLC, down 5.2% at 174.60p
GB Group PLC, down 4.3% at 209.50p, Barclays and Berenberg cut price targets
Kainos Group PLC, down 4.2% at 848.25p
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FTSE 100 & 250 movers in focus:
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Legal & General Group PLC, down 5.8% at 253.10p, 12-month range 217.20p-279.50p. The insurer and asset manager goes ex-dividend on Thursday, meaning new buyers do not qualify for its 15.67p final payout. The final dividend takes its total dividend for 2025 to 21.79p, up 2.0% from 21.36p in 2024.
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J Sainsbury PLC, down 5.1% at 335.25p, 12-month range 253.40p-361.80p. The grocer warns that the US-Israel war on Iran could hurt profit in the financial year ahead as it delivers guidance that fell short of market hopes. Sainsbury says pretax profit rises 2.0% to GBP619 million in the 52 weeks to February 28 compared to GBP607 million in the prior year. Underlying pretax profit grows 1.3% to GBP718 million from GBP709 million on-year but was below GBP730 million company-compiled market consensus. Sainsbury says it currently expects to deliver underlying operating profit of between GBP975 million and GBP1.08 billion in the current financial year, short of GBP1.1 billion current consensus.
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Domino's Pizza Group PLC, up 6.8% at 195.95p, 12-month range 164.03p-281.80p. The master franchise holder in the UK and Ireland for Domino's Pizza Inc reports an "encouraging" start to the year. Total system sales rise 5.8% in the first quarter, including like-for-like growth of 4.5%, while total orders rise by 2.3%, with like-for-like orders 0.9% higher. "Despite the well documented macroeconomic backdrop, our costs are hedged for the current financial year with some costs hedged into 2027 and we do not currently foresee any supply-related issues," it says. The company expects to achieve its earnings expectations for the full year.
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Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, up 4.3% at 1,378.25p, 12-month range 1,187.00p-2,164.00p. The pharmaceutical maker reiterates its full year 2026 guidance. "Our three businesses are performing well, supported by our differentiated portfolio, recent product launches and our strong and growing commercial capabilities," says Chief Executive Officer Said Darwazah. It continues to expect revenue to rise between 2% and 4% and to report operating profit between USD720 million and USD770 million in 2026. "We are pleased with the performance of the Group and are on track to deliver revenue and profit growth, in line with our full year guidance and our overarching focus on long-term sustainable profit growth," CEO Darwazah says.
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WH Smith PLC, down 10% at 565.75p, 12-month range 519.00p-1,132.00p. The Swindon, England-based travel retail operator reports a wider loss for the first half of the year and suspends its dividend. Its pretax loss widened to GBP25 million in the half year to February from a restated GBP4 million loss a year prior. Headline profit before tax and non-underlying items falls 86% to GBP3 million from GBP21 million. The firm suspends its dividend, compared to an 11.3p interim dividend a year ago, to "reduce debt" and strengthen its financial position. The company says it is taking a more cautious outlook for the rest of the year due to the conflict in the Middle East. It now expects to deliver financial 2026 headline group profit before tax and non-underlying items between GBP90 million and GBP105 million, down from GBP108 million last year. It initially guided for between GBP100 million and GBP115 million for financial 2026.
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By Michael Hennessey, Alliance News reporter
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Metlen EnergySSEReckittBTUnileverLegal & GeneralFresnilloSainsbury'sEntainExperianDominosHikma PharmaceuticalsIthaca EnergyHilton FoodsHarbour EnergyWh SmithManSSP GroupGb GroupKainos Group