London midday: FTSE stays up as defensives gain

(Sharecast News) - London stocks were still in the black by midday on Tuesday, with utilities pacing the gains, as investors mulled an easing in UK wage growth and more key US earnings. The FTSE 100 was up 0.3% at 7,655.04.

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: "Helping to give UK stocks a boost were the latest figures on jobs with a slowdown in wage growth. That in theory reduces the chances of the Bank of England rushing to put up interest rates again."

Data released earlier by the Office for National Statistics showed that growth in basic wages eased a little in August.

Average earnings excluding bonuses rose 7.8% in the three months to August versus a year earlier, down from upwardly-revised 7.9% growth the month before. Economists were expecting growth to be unchanged at 7.8%.

Growth in the three months to July was the highest since record began in 2001.

Total earnings including bonuses eased to 8.1% growth from 8.5%, versus consensus expectations of 8.3%.

Investors were also eyeing more earnings releases from across the pond, with Goldman Sachs and Bank of America in the frame.

In UK equity markets, utilities - which are defensive - were the standout performers on the FTSE 100, with United Utilities, Severn Trent and Centrica all up.

Engine maker Rolls-Royce was still up but off earlier highs, after saying it plans to cut up to 2,500 jobs worldwide as part of a plan to streamline the organisation. The company, which currently employs 42,000 worldwide, said the engineering technology & safety segments will come together as a single team across the group, responsible for product safety, engineering standards, process, methods and tools.

Melrose ticked higher after it lifted its adjusted operating margin outlook for 2023.

Price comparison website Moneysupermarket.com jumped as it said it saw growth accelerate in the third quarter due to high levels of switching in car and home insurance, offsetting the impact of higher interest rates on loan and funding activities.

St James' Place reversed losses, having tumbled earlier in the session after confirming it was overhauling its fee structure.

Bellway also turned higher after earlier losses, having reported an 18.1% fall in full-year underlying full-year pre-tax profit amid a "challenging" market and warned it expects to build far fewer houses in 2024.

Jupiter Fund Management tumbled as it announced a new charging structure and posted a decline in third-quarter assets under management as macroeconomic uncertainty continued to dent demand for risk assets, particularly with retail clients.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,655.04 0.32% FTSE 250 (MCX) 17,547.74 0.16% techMARK (TASX) 4,171.96 0.31%

FTSE 100 - Risers

United Utilities Group (UU.) 1,055.50p 3.58% InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 6,206.00p 2.99% Severn Trent (SVT) 2,580.00p 2.54% Beazley (BEZ) 534.50p 2.10% AstraZeneca (AZN) 11,148.00p 1.60% Pearson (PSON) 927.40p 1.22% Centrica (CNA) 157.85p 1.19% Whitbread (WTB) 3,333.00p 1.18% Barratt Developments (BDEV) 420.00p 1.18% Tesco (TSCO) 277.50p 1.17%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Anglo American (AAL) 2,236.00p -2.02% Glencore (GLEN) 453.50p -2.00% Flutter Entertainment (CDI) (FLTR) 13,165.00p -1.79% BT Group (BT.A) 117.85p -1.75% Antofagasta (ANTO) 1,385.00p -1.70% Prudential (PRU) 884.00p -1.62% Croda International (CRDA) 4,252.00p -1.57% Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 751.80p -1.31% RS Group (RS1) 714.60p -1.30% Rio Tinto (RIO) 5,161.00p -1.07%

FTSE 250 - Risers

Digital 9 Infrastructure NPV (DGI9) 38.15p 11.71% Moneysupermarket.com Group (MONY) 263.20p 7.43% Just Group (JUST) 74.60p 6.57% Chemring Group (CHG) 278.50p 3.92% CAB Payments Holdings (CABP) 218.00p 3.56% Mobico Group (MCG) 64.30p 3.29% 888 Holdings (DI) (888) 85.20p 3.27% TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 444.60p 3.20% Pennon Group (PNN) 701.50p 2.86% Urban Logistics Reit (SHED) 108.00p 2.08%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Jupiter Fund Management (JUP) 79.55p -8.88% Liontrust Asset Management (LIO) 547.50p -4.28% Genuit Group (GEN) 274.50p -3.00% Marshalls (MSLH) 198.90p -2.79% Petershill Partners (PHLL) 144.40p -2.43% Darktrace (DARK) 348.80p -2.27% Man Group (EMG) 219.70p -2.05% Me Group International (MEGP) 145.80p -2.02% IP Group (IPO) 47.75p -1.85% Apax Global Alpha Limited (APAX) 165.00p -1.79%