FTSE 100 movers: Centrica rallies on results; St James's Place slumps

(Sharecast News) - London's FTSE 100 was up 0.3% at 7,702.25 in afternoon trade on Thursday. Centrica rallied after it posted a jump in interim profit as profits at British Gas surged amid rising energy prices.

In the six months to 30 June, adjusted operating profit rose to £2.1bn from £1.3bn in the same period a year earlier, while earnings per share rose to 25.8p from 11p. The group made a statutory operating profit of £6.5bn, versus a £1.1bn loss a year earlier.

Adjusted operating profits at British Gas Energy rocketed 889% to £969m amid changes to the energy price cap, which meant it was able to recover more costs.

Informa gained as it reported a jump in first-half profit and revenue and confirmed expectations for 2023 at the top end of the guidance range.

Business information services group Relx advanced after it said first-half profit and revenue rose as it hiked its dividend, with momentum remaining strong across the group.

Mike Ashley's Frasers Group also pushed up as it reported a surge in full-year profits and revenue, hailing a strong performance across the group, boosted by profitable growth in the sports retail segment.

St James's Place tumbled after the asset manager said interim profits fell amid market volatility, but still managed £3.4bn in net inflows.

SSE fell as it traded without entitlement to the dividend.

Barclays was in the red even as it became the second bank to post surging profits on the back of higher interest rates and lift its provisions for bad loans. The bank posted a 22% rise in pre-tax profit for the six months to June 30 to £4.5bn. Bad loan charges increased to £900m from £341m.

BT Group lost ground despite backing its guidance for 2024 and posting a rise in first-quarter core earnings.

Shell was weaker as it posted a sharp fall in second-quarter profits as oil and gas prices declined a year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine sparked a surge in energy costs.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Centrica (CNA) 133.25p 7.46% Informa (INF) 783.20p 5.04% Relx plc (REL) 2,659.00p 4.60% Airtel Africa (AAF) 114.50p 4.38% CRH (CDI) (CRH) 4,695.00p 3.03% Frasers Group (FRAS) 802.50p 3.02% Melrose Industries (MRO) 528.80p 2.96% Burberry Group (BRBY) 2,243.00p 2.80% Smith (DS) (SMDS) 309.40p 2.79% Scottish Mortgage Inv Trust (SMT) 718.80p 2.72%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

St James's Place (STJ) 1,012.00p -14.45% SSE (SSE) 1,718.00p -4.93% Barclays (BARC) 158.04p -3.67% BT Group (BT.A) 122.70p -3.00% Shell (SHEL) 2,364.50p -1.34% Persimmon (PSN) 1,188.50p -1.25% M&G (MNG) 202.30p -1.08% Vodafone Group (VOD) 76.70p -1.07% Aviva (AV.) 397.70p -1.07% SEGRO (SGRO) 777.80p -1.04%

FTSE 250 - Risers

Inchcape (INCH) 859.50p 10.19% Jupiter Fund Management (JUP) 118.80p 9.90% Carnival (CCL) 1,318.50p 7.63% Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 373.60p 6.74% Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 228.40p 6.13% Vesuvius (VSVS) 462.80p 6.00% ITV (ITV) 73.26p 5.32% Ferrexpo (FXPO) 95.10p 4.51% Elementis (ELM) 113.20p 4.24% Future (FUTR) 802.00p 4.16%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Mobico Group (MCG) 97.60p -8.70% Man Group (EMG) 231.80p -3.09% Rathbones Group (RAT) 1,806.00p -2.27% Quilter (QLT) 80.65p -2.24% HICL Infrastructure (HICL) 129.80p -1.96% RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI) (RHIM) 3,006.00p -1.76% CMC Markets (CMCX) 145.80p -1.75% Vistry Group (VTY) 791.50p -1.74% International Public Partnerships Ltd. (INPP) 132.40p -1.63% Drax Group (DRX) 610.20p -1.55%