FTSE 250 movers: Spire Healthcare surges; Wetherspoons slumps

(Sharecast News) - 21,351.40 -208.64 (-0.97%) Spire Healthcare surged following a report that private equity firm Bridgepoint is drawing up proposals for a formal offer worth £1bn. According to Sky News, the former owner of Oasis Healthcare, the dentistry chain previously run by Spire's chief executive, Justin Ash, is formulating plans to launch a bid for Spire Healthcare Group worth around 230p a share.

JD Wetherspoons tumbled as it posted a steep drop in interim profits and warned that full-year numbers would likely disappoint, as it battled a spike in costs.

The British pub chain saw revenues rise 5.7% in the 26 weeks to 25 January, to £1.09bn, while like-for-like sales were 4.8% stronger.

Harbour Energy, Ithaca and Energean all gushed lower as oil prices eased.