FTSE 250 movers: Moneysupermarket.com soars on earnings guidance

6th Nov 2013 15:04

Price-comparison group Moneysupermarket.com soared after lifting its earnings guidance following a "very strong" start to the fourth quarter boosted by energy-switching customers irked by utility price hikes.Transport firm FirstGroup was also higher after it said half-year losses narrowed as stronger profits at its UK rail division and US school bus business outweighed ongoing headwinds at its UK bus operation and US coach service Greyhound. The group, which was forced to launch a deeply discounted £615m rights issue earlier this year to avoid a credit rating downgrade, said loss before tax reduced to £8.0m in the six months ended September 30th from a loss of £20.6m a year previously. Net debt reduced 30.5% to £1.5bn.Meanwhile, Egyptian gold miner Centamin fell after seeing gold production slip from the second to the third quarter but said it was well placed to beat its initial guidance for the full year of 320,000 ounces.Insurance company Lancashire was lower after seeing profits fall by 67% in the third quarter as a quiet wind season in the US was outweighed by losses from hail storms and floods in Europe.FTSE 250 - RisersMoneysupermarket.com Group (MONY) 180.90p +16.71%FirstGroup (FGP) 122.50p +5.51%Ferrexpo (FXPO) 200.50p +4.92%WH Smith (SMWH) 969.50p +4.47%African Barrick Gold (ABG) 204.80p +3.17%Essar Energy (ESSR) 118.20p +2.87%Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI) (PDL) 111.80p +2.85%Ashtead Group (AHT) 678.00p +2.81%Hays (HAS) 124.40p +2.81%Kier Group (KIE) 1,846.00p +2.78%FTSE 250 - FallersCentamin (DI) (CEY) 47.60p -6.30%Dialight (DIA) 1,037.00p -2.99%Polymetal International (POLY) 578.50p -2.85%TalkTalk Telecom Group (TALK) 252.00p -2.67%ITE Group (ITE) 307.20p -2.48%Barratt Developments (BDEV) 314.40p -2.00%Ashmore Group (ASHM) 394.90p -1.74%Lancashire Holdings Limited (LRE) 807.00p -1.47%PZ Cussons (PZC) 376.50p -1.44%Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 1,582.00p -1.12%NR