Sharecast - Retailers were on the rise with Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group (LON:FRAS), discounter B&M, B&Q owner Kingfisher (LON:KGF) and JD Sports (LON:JD) all up.
Unilever (LON:ULVR) fell as it announced that chief financial officer Graeme Pitkethly plans to retire by the end of May 2024. The consumer goods giant said the board will now proceed with a formal internal and external search for his successor.
Jefferies, which rates the shares at ‘buy’, said: "The change of CFO is not entirely surprising given that a new CEO is taking the reins from July. With these exits, Hein Schumacher can begin to reshape Unilever's Leadership Executive for the future."
Rolls-Royce (LON:RR) was also weaker after India’s Central Bureau of Investigation reportedly filed a criminal complaint against it and BAE Systems (LON:BAES) over previous fighter jet supply deals. The CBI alleged that, between 2003 and 2012, the companies engaged in a "criminal conspiracy" to "cheat" the Indian government over deals to make BAE Hawk 115 aircraft, which used Rolls-Royce engines.
Ocado (LON:OCDO) was also on the back foot as the online supermarket faces potential demotion from the top-flight index.
FTSE 100 - Risers
Frasers Group (FRAS) 692.00p 2.98%
B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI) (BME) 473.20p 2.42%
Abrdn (ABDN) 206.50p 2.33%
Kingfisher (KGF) 236.40p 2.25%
Endeavour Mining (EDV (LON:EDV)) 2,052.00p 2.09%
Hargreaves Lansdown (LON:HRGV) (HL.) 816.20p 1.97%
BT Group (LON:BT.A) 146.75p 1.87%
Centrica (LON:CNA) 120.55p 1.82%
WPP (LON:WPP) 888.60p 1.79%
Admiral Group (LON:ADML) (ADM) 2,359.00p 1.72%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 144.70p -2.92%
Unilever (ULVR) 4,070.00p -2.37%
Shell (LON:RDSa) (SHEL) 2,300.50p -2.21%
Ocado Group (OCDO) 398.80p -2.01%
Diageo (LON:DGE) 3,433.00p -1.86%
BP (LON:BP.) 468.45p -1.77%
British American Tobacco (LON:BATS) 2,624.00p -1.72%
HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) 600.80p -1.64%
Entain (LON:ENT) 1,380.00p -1.57%
Croda International (CRDA) 6,156.00p -1.31%