Housebuilders are leading the fallers on the FTSE 100 as concerns over the house price exuberance and the prospect of interest rate rises before the end of 2014 weigh on residential constructors. Barratt Developments (BDEV) leads the decline, slipping 2.8% lower to 350.5p while Persimmon (PSN) edges down 2.4% to £12.01.
After falling early on following news of a fire at its Barnsley warehouse, online fast fashion seller ASOS (ASC:AIM) regains 10p at £27.62. A criminal investigation is underway following Friday's night's fire, thought to have ruined 20% of the stock on site, though ASOS assures it is fully insured for loss of stock and business interruption. Earlier this month, the former stockmarket darling slashed its full-year operating margin target due to currency headwinds and slowing overseas sales, as Shares explains in detail here.
Respiratory disease-focused drug developer Verona Pharma (VRP:AIM) plummets 34.9% to 1.3p on its chronic severe cough treatment failing in second stage clinical trials. The treatment did not improve on the results of a placebo.
High-quality carpets manufacturer Victoria (VCP:AIM) weaves a 17.4% gain to 377.5p on proposals for a £2.92 special dividend. The plan would result in executive chairman Geoff Wilding's Camden vehicle acquiring a 50% stake in the Kidderminster-based business.
Investors punishing a full year revenue miss by IT security specialist Accumuli (ACM:AIM) are missing the underlying progress of the business. Sales of £16.6 million are below original £18.5 million expectations, sparking a 6% share price decline to 27p. But cross-selling opportunities are substantially enhanced by a customer base that has more than doubled to around 700 and a 32% jump in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA).
Shares in transport monitoring technology supplier Tracsis (TRCS:AIM) leap nearly 9% to 354p after reporting that trading will beat expectations this year to end July. Sales of more tan £20 million will be reported for the 12 months, compared to original £16.2 million market hopes.
With oil rising to over $115 a barrel as concerns over unrest in Iraq, airlines are being hit hard. Budget airline Easyjet (EZJ) slides 2.2% to £14.20, one of the FTSE 100's biggest losers.
Advanced Oncotherapy (AVO:AIM), which makes radiation machines to treat cancer suffers, rises 4.7% to 2.7p on opening a division in New York to sell its products in across the Americas.
Allergy and disease testing kit maker Omega Diagnostics (ODX:AIM) falls 2.6% to 27.5p on investors taking profits on uncertainty over when it will start collecting revenues for its mobile HIV-status testing device Visitect CD4. This followed a strong year to April when its adjusted pre-tax profits improved 41% to £1.1 million.
