FTSE 250 movers: Barratt Developments up on strong spring season

10th May 2012 15:45

House builder Barratt Developments was in demand after reporting its "strongest spring selling season for five years". Average weekly net private reservations in the period between January 1st to May 6th were 25.3% higher than the previous year, as a result of higher sales rates per site and increased site numbers. Engineering software provider AVEVA was also performing well, helped by an upgrade by UBS from sell to neutral. Heading in the opposite direction was mining company Bumi, despite it posting a nine per cent year-on-year rise in first quarter coal production at 20m tonnes. Production unit costs were higher, mainly due to increased fuel costs and a higher stripping ratio, but this is expected to decline going forward as various infrastructure projects currently under development are brought into commercial production, the firm said. Inter-dealer broker Tullett Prebon was also taking a hit as the company admitted it was still slashing jobs and remained embroiled in legal proceedings. The company has raised the number of redundancies targeted in a cost cutting drive to 140 from 80 as it looks to make £14m in savings. FTSE 250 - RisersImagination Technologies Group (IMG) 612.50p +15.13%Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI) (PDL) 144.60p +12.62%Essar Energy (ESSR) 133.20p +7.85%Ruspetro (RPO) 170.00p +7.32%Micro Focus International (MCRO) 454.70p +6.91%Supergroup (SGP) 327.70p +6.74%AG Barr (BAG) 1,118.00p +6.37%Kesa Electricals (KESA) 55.35p +6.24%Barratt Developments (BDEV) 127.20p +6.09%Wood Group (John) (WG.) 780.00p +5.98%FTSE 250 - FallersBumi (BUMI) 466.00p -4.12%Inmarsat (ISAT) 456.00p -2.67%Northgate (NTG) 194.90p -2.55%Cobham (COB) 215.80p -2.35%Tullett Prebon (TLPR) 310.20p -2.21%Fidessa Group (FDSA) 1,500.00p -2.09%Booker Group (BOK) 75.10p -1.83%Debenhams (DEB) 76.55p -1.67%Hochschild Mining (HOC) 430.80p -1.64%Filtrona PLC (FLTR) 460.30p -1.52%NR