FTSE 250 movers: Syncona rallies; Hays hit by profit warning

(Sharecast News) - London's FTSE 250 was 0.8% lower at 21,129.07 in afternoon trade on Thursday. Syncona shot to the top of the index after it announced a strategic pivot toward an orderly realisation of its portfolio assets, as the life sciences investor looked to balance returning cash to shareholders with efforts to maximise long-term value from its maturing holdings.

Recruiter Hays tumbled as it warned on full-year profits, citing "more challenging" permanent markets.

In a pre-close year-end trading update, the company said it now expects FY25 pre-exceptional operating profit of around £45m. This is below company compiled consensus for £56.4m, based on ten analysts.

Hays said activity levels in the fourth quarter reduced sequentially, driven mainly by broad-based weakness in permanent markets globally. This reflects low levels of client and candidate confidence due to macroeconomic uncertainty. Temporary and contracting activity remains more resilient, it said.

Peer Pagegroup also suffered heavy losses.

NCC and XPS Pensions both lost ground after results, while Breedon Group fell as RBC Capital Markets cut its price target on the stock to 575p from 625p as it trimmed its estimates.

The bank pointed to rain and ice in the US, climate change challenges in Ireland and low ready mix volumes in GB.

It said Breedon has seen the worst weather trends of all the building materials companies under its coverage.

FTSE 250 - Risers

Syncona Limited NPV (SYNC) 93.90p 5.51% Ferrexpo (FXPO) 48.75p 3.28% Ocean Wilsons Holdings Ltd. (OCN) 1,610.00p 1.90% IntegraFin Holding (IHP) 299.50p 1.87% Greencoat UK Wind (UKW) 118.30p 1.63% Harbour Energy (HBR) 209.60p 1.35% Elementis (ELM) 154.60p 1.18% Pennon Group (PNN) 488.80p 1.16% B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI) (BME) 273.10p 1.11% VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Ltd. (VOF) 417.50p 1.09%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Hays (HAS) 62.65p -10.75% NCC Group (NCC) 148.00p -10.30% Breedon Group (BREE) 384.80p -9.63% Pagegroup (PAGE) 247.60p -5.06% XPS Pensions Group (XPS) 357.00p -5.05% Fidelity China Special Situations (FCSS) 245.00p -4.48% Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,010.50p -4.31% Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 83.50p -3.75% Mobico Group (MCG) 25.90p -3.21% British Land Company (BLND) 381.00p -3.15%