LONDON (ShareCast) - Spirax-Sarco Engineering climbed after it recommended a windfall dividend of 100p per share, worth a total of 78m pounds, after posting record sales and profit in 2012.

Investment trust RIT Capital Partners rose after it reported its highest net asset value (NAV) per share of 1,309p on February 22nd, a financial update has shown. In the nine months ended December 31st, the company reported that it increased its net quoted equity exposure to 61% and overall investment exposure to 101%.

Meanwhile, National Express dropped into the bottom spot after Elliott Advisors, one of its largest shareholders, last night unveiled plans to trade in around 50.59m shares, equal to a 9.9% stake, in a secondary placing. It said: "National Express still remains one of Elliott's most important investments. Elliott is a strong believer in National Express' management team and its strategy for continue outperformance and has confidence in the company's outlook and future prospects." It will not sell any further share with the 90 days following the placing. It's stake in the company will be 9.9%.

Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, disappointed with its 2012 results on Thursday, posting a 70% decline in reported pre-tax profit from continuing operations.

Petropavlovsk fell after Nomura downgraded the the stock from 'buy' to 'reduce'.


FTSE 250 - Risers
Spirax-Sarco Engineering (SPX) 2,651.00p +5.91%
Elementis (ELM) 260.70p +5.55%
RIT Capital Partners (RCP) 1,234.00p +5.29%
Betfair Group (BET) 723.50p +5.16%
Regus (RGU) 149.90p +4.46%
SEGRO (SGRO) 269.30p +4.26%
SIG (SHI) 145.40p +3.56%
Provident Financial (PFG) 1,575.00p +2.87%
Big Yellow Group (BYG) 388.20p +2.86%
Workspace Group (WKP) 360.60p +2.73%

FTSE 250 - Fallers
National Express Group (NEX) 205.70p -10.57%
Petropavlovsk (POG) 258.90p -5.68%
United Drug (UDG) 264.90p -4.71%
Balfour Beatty (BBY) 274.60p -4.32%
Inmarsat (ISAT) 645.00p -3.08%
Smith (DS) (SMDS) 233.20p -3.04%
Fenner (FENR) 410.50p -2.96%
Heritage Oil (HOIL) 191.20p -2.85%
Ladbrokes (LAD) 228.00p -2.69%
Playtech Ltd. (PTEC) 545.50p -2.68%

NR

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