FTSE 100 movers: Severn Trent boosted by upgrade, Aviva recovers
London's FTSE 100 was up 0.1% to 7,212.02 in afternoon trade on Friday after the US non-farm payrolls report showed more jobs than expected were added in February, while wage growth slowed more than forecast.
NMC Health was recovering from losses earlier in the week, when it retreated despite posting a rise in full-year profit and revenue that was in line with expectations.
Aviva bounced back from losses in the previous session, when it reported a 7% jump in 2017 earnings per share and lifted the dividend by 18%, but left investors disappointed by a slide in Canada and the shape of capital returns.
Severn Trent was boosted by an upgrade to 'overweight' from 'neutral' at JPMorgan in a note on UK water utilities. JPM, which also upgraded Pennon, said that concerns about regulatory risk, rising government bond yields and possible nationalisation by a Labour government had pushed the shares to "unusually low" levels.
That trifecta of risks was on top of the "more traditional" decarbonisation, affordability and security of supply balancing act, they said.
G4S was on the up after declining on Thursday when the security company's full-year earnings and revenue missed analysts' expectations. It was also benefiting from an upgrade to hold' by SEB Securities.
Risers
NMC Health (NMC) 3,500.00p 4.10%
Aviva (AV.) 520.40p 2.32%
Severn Trent (SVT) 1,828.50p 2.07%
Rentokil Initial (RTO) 269.50p 1.97%
Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 390.69p 1.82%
G4S (GFS) 262.90p 1.78%
Persimmon (PSN) 2,593.00p 1.77%
Mediclinic International (MDC) 615.80p 1.45%
Anglo American (AAL) 1,729.80p 1.32%
Admiral Group (ADM) 1,914.50p 1.30%
Fallers
WPP (WPP) 1,209.62p -1.70%
Evraz (EVR) 433.60p -1.34%
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 621.40p -1.21%
Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 260.50p -0.95%
easyJet (EZJ) 1,563.00p -0.95%
Legal & General Group (LGEN) 262.30p -0.72%
3i Group (III) 923.80p -0.65%
Barclays (BARC) 211.02p -0.61%
Intertek Group (ITRK) 5,020.00p -0.59%
Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 2,277.50p -0.57%