Thursday Morning Markets: Moonpig Surges as London Shrugs Off Wall Street Wobble

European and UK markets are pushing higher on Thursday, shaking off a softer Wall Street session, although Wednesday’s S&P and Nasdaq decline was notably less severe than Tuesday’s tech rout, and confidence appears to be steadying. 

The FTSE 100 has gained 0.2% so far, while the FTSE 250 has risen 0.4%. The DAX has added 0.6%, the CAC 40 has climbed 0.3%, and the Euro Stoxx 50 is up 0.6%.

3i Group

The standout mover of the session is 3i Group (+9.24%), which has surged after a positive AGM portfolio update. 

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The private equity giant, whose fortunes are closely tied to Dutch discount retailer Action, delivered an update that reassured investors on NAV progress and portfolio momentum.

Housebuilders Build Momentum

The housing stocks rally that began on Wednesday has continued today. 

Barratt Redrow (+4.34%) and Persimmon (+2.61%) are both pushing higher again, extending gains.

On Wednesday, the sector was boosted after Berkeley Group, which is up a further 2% on Thursday, posted positive results, while Prologis went public with an unsolicited all-share takeover proposal valuing British warehouse specialist Segro at approximately £12.6 billion.

Aberdeen Rises; Moonpig Shines

Aberdeen Group (+2.67%) has edged up following an interactive investor roundtable, with positive messaging appearing to land well with the market. 

In the FTSE 250, Moonpig (+9.73%) is the session’s standout mid-cap story, jumping sharply after its final results showed robust performance.

Fallers

United Utilities (-2.49%) shares are on the slide. LSEG (-1.91%) is down for a second consecutive session, and Lion Finance Group (-1.60%) has also retreated. Spire Healthcare (-2.93%) is the FTSE 250’s heaviest faller.