LONDON (ShareCast) - Keller Group was a top riser after reporting better-than-expected first-half results. Pre-tax profit before exceptional items increased by 21% year-on-year to £32.5m in the six months to 30 June. Liberum gave the engineering group a 'buy' rating after the results, saying it sees "compelling attractions".

Home Retail Group gained after a report from Markit showed UK housing construction activity in July registered the sharpest rise since November 2003, led by a record pace of job creation and a shortage of supplies.

Telecity Group slumped after Investec warned that foreign exchange movements might constrain short-term performance. The company, however, reported profits before tax grew 13.6% to reach £49.97m during the six months ended 30 June.

Other fallers included PayPoint, Afren and Imagination Technologies.

FTSE 250 - Risers
Keller Group (KLR) 908.00p +3.77%
NMC Health (NMC) 478.00p +3.69%
Home Retail Group (HOME) 168.10p +3.45%
Perform Group (PER) 221.30p +2.93%
Alent (ALNT) 340.00p +2.91%
Man Group (EMG) 119.80p +2.57%
Just Retirement Group (JRG) 140.40p +2.41%
esure Group (ESUR) 262.20p +1.94%
Kazakhmys (KAZ) 321.50p +1.93%
Centamin (DI) (CEY) 72.50p +1.90%

FTSE 250 - Fallers
PayPoint (PAY) 1,035.00p -4.78%
Telecity Group (TCY) 762.50p -3.60%
Afren (AFR) 110.10p -3.51%
Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) 182.90p -3.23%
Infinis Energy (INFI) 214.90p -3.20%
Domino Printing Sciences (DNO) 596.00p -3.09%
FirstGroup (FGP) 122.00p -2.71%
Hochschild Mining (HOC) 158.40p -2.34%
Rank Group (RNK) 158.10p -2.17%
Dignity (DTY) 1,359.00p -2.16%

RD

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