FTSE 100 movers: Beazley bounces on capital return; WPP slumps

(Sharecast News) - London's FTSE 100 was up 0.2% at 7,680.85 in afternoon trade on Thursday. Beazley rallied as it upgraded its guidance on the undiscounted combined ratio from low-80s to mid-70s for 2023 thanks to a better-than-expected claims experience during the year. It also said that as well as an ordinary dividend, shareholders will receive an additional capital return for the year of around $300m.

Rolls-Royce jumped as it reported a more than doubling of its full-year profits, underpinned by its civil aerospace segment. Full-year 2023 underlying operating profit came in at £1.6bn, up from £652m a year earlier, with revenues rising to £15.4bn from £12.7bn. Analysts were expecting operating profit of £1.4bn.

Lloyds Bank gained as it reported a 57% jump in full-year profits and announced another £2bn share buyback, but also set aside £450m for the regulatory probe into UK motor financing.

Hikma was on the front foot as it bumped up its dividend by almost a third following double-digit growth in full-year core revenues and profits in 2023.

Anglo American rose despite slashing its annual dividend by a half after seeing profits plunge in 2023 on the back of impairments and downturns in the platinum and diamond markets.

WPP slumped even as the advertising giant's full-year results came in as expected.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Beazley (BEZ) 637.00p 9.45% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 360.60p 9.44% Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 46.06p 6.40% Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 2,125.00p 6.38% Scottish Mortgage Inv Trust (SMT) 792.40p 3.91% Intertek Group (ITRK) 4,629.00p 3.37% Rightmove (RMV) 550.40p 3.30% Anglo American (AAL) 1,774.40p 3.29% Entain (ENT) 921.40p 2.51% Ashtead Group (AHT) 5,512.00p 2.42%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

WPP (WPP) 739.40p -5.25% Tesco (TSCO) 277.20p -2.91% Endeavour Mining (EDV) 1,277.00p -2.67% Land Securities Group (LAND) 631.80p -2.17% SSE (SSE) 1,575.50p -2.11% Glencore (GLEN) 379.75p -1.63% Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 255.10p -1.62% Unilever (ULVR) 3,996.00p -1.44% Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 4,740.00p -1.29% AstraZeneca (AZN) 9,974.00p -1.27%