8th Oct 2026 09:54
(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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Tesco PLC, up 3.9% at 494.10p, upsizes buyback
Imperial Brands PLC, up 3.2% at 2,568.00p, announces new buyback, affirms guide
Pearson PLC, up 2.9% at 1,278.50p
J Sainsbury PLC, up 2.4% at 335.55p, rises in positive read across after Tesco results
IG Group Holdings PLC, up 2.3% at 972.00p, looks set to halt five-day losing streak
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FTSE 100 losers
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Standard Life PLC, down 3.8% at 838.00p, Aberdeen Group halves stake
Melrose Industries PLC, down 2.6% at 438.30p
Standard Chartered PLC, down 2.4% at 2,099.00p
HSBC Holdings PLC, down 2.4% at 1,374.80p
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC, down 2.3% at 1,371.80p
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FTSE 250 winners
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Bridgepoint Group PLC, up 3.4% at 377.80p, looks set for fourth successive rise
Man Group PLC, up 2.3% at 334.40p
Hays PLC, up 2.1% at 63.28p
Asos PLC, up 2.0% at 460.00p, recovers some ground after 9.6% slump on Tuesday
Harbour Energy PLC, up 2.0% at 274.10p, oil price climbs
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FTSE 250 losers
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Unite Group PLC, down 4.0% at 424.40p, property valuations fall
Foresight Group Holdings Ltd, down 3.6% at 433.00p
SSP Group PLC, down 3.2% at 184.95p
Genuit Group PLC, down 2.7% at 271.80p
Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC, down 2.7% at 214.70p
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FTSE 100 & 250 movers in focus:
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Unite Group, down 4.0% at 424.40p, 12-month range 423.45p-700.00p. The student accommodation provider's property valuations declined on a like-for-like basis in the third quarter. This is due to "increases in property yields" and a fall in rental values for some properties that have an income performance "below previous valuer assumptions". Unite UK Student Accommodation Fund was independently valued at GBP2.82 billion at September 30, a 4.0% like-for-like fall during the quarter. London Student Accommodation Venture was valued at GBP1.90 billion, a 3.4% decline. LSAV is a joint-venture with GIC, the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund.
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Tesco, up 3.9% at 494.10p, 12-month range 411.70p-510.40p. It says consumers remained "resilient" as it delivered better-than-expected first half profit supported by growing online sales. The Welwyn Garden City, England-based grocer says pretax profit rose 12% to GBP1.46 billion in the 26 weeks ended August 29 from GBP1.31 billion the year prior. Adjusted operating profit increased 6.5% to GBP1.78 billion from GBP1.67 billion beating Visible Alpha consensus of GBP1.72 billion. For the financial year as a whole, Tesco now expects adjusted operating profit between GBP3.15 billion and GBP3.30 billion, the bottom end of guidance raised from GBP3.00 billion. Reflecting a strong cash flow performance, Tesco increases its share buyback to GBP950 million from GBP750 million.
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Imperial Brands, up 3.2% at 2,568.00p, 12-month range 2,408.00p-3,632.04p. It announces a new GBP1.5 billion buyback and reaffirms annual guidance, despite group-level volume declines. The firm, whose stable of brands includes Davidoff and Gauloises cigarettes, Rizla rolling paper and blu e-cigarettes, hails the "strong momentum behind our transformation". Imperial Brands reports it is tracking in line with guidance for the year ended in September. Adjusted operating profit growth is expected to be within the company's 3% to 5% target range, supporting a high-single-digit boost to adjusted earnings per share.
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FirstGroup PLC, down 1.9% at 183.10p, 12-month range 152.10p-222.60p. The UK Office of Rail & Road rejects proposals for new train services between London and Wrexham, Rochdale and Blackpool. The watchdog assessment finds "adding more trains to the West Coast Main Line would likely increase delays and cancelled trains for passengers". "The rail regulator rejected applications from the Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway Co for four return Wrexham-London Euston services and Lumo's up to four return Rochdale-Euston services. It also rejected Avanti West Coast's application for additional Blackpool-Euston services. FirstGroup owns 70% of Avanti, with Italian state-owned operator Trenitalia holding the remainder.
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By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor
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Related Shares:
TescoImperial BrandsIGPearsonSainsbury'sStandard LifeMelroseStandard CharteredHSBC HoldingsRolls-RoyceBridgepointManHaysASOSHarbour EnergyUniteForesight Group HoldingsSSP GroupGenuit GroupOxford Nanopore TechnologiesFirstgroup