Source: Sharecast
Prudential gained as it hiked its dividend by 13% and accelerated its share buyback plan after profits rose by a tenth in 2024, with financial results in line with group guidance.
The insurance and asset management company returned $785m to shareholders in 2024, as part of its $2bn repurchase plan that will now complete by the end of 2025, ahead of the original mid-2026 schedule.
The firm reported an adjusted operating profit before tax of $3.13bn for 2024, up 10% on a constant currency basis.
On the downside, 3i Group slid after an update on non-food discounter Action, its largest portfolio company.
Education publisher Pearson and insurer Beazley also lost ground as they traded without entitlement to the dividend.
Compass Group fell after Sodexo cut its full-year revenue guidance, mainly due to slower-than-expected organic growth in North America, sending shares in the French peer tumbling.
FTSE 100 - Risers
Experian (EXPN) 3,635.00p 3.30%
London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) 11,260.00p 2.83%
Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (PSH) 3,788.00p 2.66%
Flutter Entertainment (DI) (FLTR) 18,750.00p 2.15%
Kingfisher (KGF) 274.80p 2.04%
SSE (SSE) 1,552.50p 2.04%
National Grid (NG.) 991.60p 1.83%
Prudential (PRU) 788.00p 1.78%
Bunzl (BNZL) 3,014.00p 1.69%
Entain (ENT) 664.20p 1.68%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Pearson (PSON) 1,198.50p -5.63%
Beazley (BEZ) 858.00p -4.45%
M&G (MNG) 217.30p -3.68%
3i Group (III) 3,678.00p -3.59%
Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 2,014.00p -3.17%
Compass Group (CPG) 2,428.00p -2.88%
HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 875.20p -2.31%
Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 795.40p -2.14%
Standard Chartered (STAN) 1,169.00p -2.13%
BAE Systems (BA.) 1,645.00p -1.67%
