FTSE 100 movers: Unilever rallies on results; Centrica slumps

(Sharecast News) - London's FTSE 100 was flat at 8,152.18 in afternoon trade on Thursday. Consumer goods company Unilever rallied despite posting worse-than-expected second-quarter underlying sales.

British American Tobacco gained as its first-half profits beat analysts' expectations, with Imperial Brands also in the black.

Business information specialist Relx advanced as it reported a robust set of first-half results, underscoring strong underlying growth and reaffirming its positive full-year outlook.

Anglo American rose even as it said it took a further $1.6bn write-down on its British fertiliser project in North Yorkshire.

British Gas owner Centrica fell after saying it was extending its share buyback programme as it posted a drop in first-half profits in what it called a more "normalised" external environment. In the six months to 30 June, adjusted operating profit fell to £1.04bn from 2.08bn in the same period a year earlier, with pre-tax profit down to £1.1bn from £2.07bn.

Adjusted operating profit at British Gas Energy slid to £159m from £969m.

Airtel Africa was down as the telecoms group said it saw first-quarter revenues rise by almost a fifth at constant currencies, but reported that sales dropped sharply due to the ongoing currency devaluation in Nigeria.

AstraZeneca lost ground even as the pharmaceuticals giant lifted its full-year guidance and posted an 18% increase in total revenue for the first half to $25.6bn, driven by significant growth in product sales and alliance revenue.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Unilever (ULVR) 4,675.00p 6.32% British American Tobacco (BATS) 2,696.00p 4.66% Relx plc (REL) 3,580.00p 2.81% Imperial Brands (IMB) 2,122.00p 1.73% Anglo American (AAL) 2,250.00p 1.26% Haleon (HLN) 343.90p 1.24% Diageo (DGE) 2,523.00p 1.06% easyJet (EZJ) 445.30p 1.04% Pearson (PSON) 1,036.00p 0.97% Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,121.50p 0.90%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Centrica (CNA) 130.85p -8.53% Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (PSH) 3,850.00p -5.96% Airtel Africa (AAF) 110.00p -4.35% Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) 2,028.00p -4.34% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 429.70p -3.20% AstraZeneca (AZN) 11,826.00p -3.18% Ashtead Group (AHT) 5,094.00p -2.82% Fresnillo (FRES) 590.50p -2.72% SSE (SSE) 1,798.50p -2.70% IMI (IMI) 1,771.00p -2.69%