MARKET REPORT
THE FTSE 100 was the biggest loser among some of the world’s main markets, as a surging pound weighed on the index. London’s top-flight index closed the day down 19.06 points, or 0.27%, to 7,448.88. It fell slightly faster than France’s Cac, which only just held above 6,000 points, 0.27% down, and the Dax in Germany, which fell 0.24%.
It came as the pound regained some of its losses against the dollar, after hitting a two-month low last Friday. It rose 0.18% to 1.2915 against the greenback.
Stock traders are still looking at coronavirus, as Apple fell 1% in New York, after reports that smartphone sales are expected to drop because of the outbreak.
Shopping centre owner Intu was London’s second-highest riser as it notched up a 3.92p share price hike, or 29.25%, after revealing it is in talks with a major Hong Kongbased retail property investor Link Real Estate Investment Trust. It ended the day on 17.32p.
It was narrowly pipped to the top of London’s risers by NMC Health, which was nursed back to health by the news that possible takeover might be in the offing. Its shares zoomed up the FTSE 100, adding 226.2p to 926.20, a stunning 32.31% rise.
It came as the hospital group’s chief executive was forced to stand down from the board and launch a legal review into exactly how much of the company he owns.
Podcast business Audioboom has put itself up for sale, the company confirmed. Bosses at the group added that financial advisers have been hired to seek out potential buyers. Shares pushed up 20p to 242.5p, or a nearly 9% rise.
Urban Logistics REIT fell 5p to 144p as it announced plans to cash in on increasing demand for warehouses that can serve cities, as shopping habits shift online. The company has announced plans for a £100m fundraising drive in a bid to buy £146m of assets.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were NMC Healthcare, up 226.2p to 926.2p, Barratt Developments, up 24.4p to 823.8p, Compass Group, up 39p to 1,990p, British Land, up 10.8p to 570p, and Hargreaves Lansdown, up 30p to 1,634.5p.
The biggest fallers were Centrica, down 2.46p to 82.68p, Carnival, down 70p to 3,044p, Evraz, down 8.3p to 389.2p, Vodafone, down 3.04p to 150p, and Just Eat Takeaway, down 135p to 7,605p.