LONDON (ShareCast) - Informa is top of the mid-caps after JP Morgan started coverage of the business publisher and conference organiser with an ‘overweight’ rating and 525p price target.

A Merrill Lynch ‘buy’ recommendation and 900p price target gave plastics firm Victrex a boost, while Northumbrian Water found friends ahead of tomorrow’s final figures.

Housebuilders remained mired in the gloom though following yesterday’s news that mortgage approvals tumbled to a new low in April plus negative comment from broker Cazenove. Barratt Developments, Redrow and Bellway are among the losers.

Online gaming outfit PartyGaming is worst of the bunch though as broker Numis said talk that the firm has reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice over possible future legal action is wide of the mark.

Elsewhere, Goldman Sachs downgrades were responsible for losses at electronics distributor Electrocomponents and mail order specialist Findel.

FTSE 250 - Risers
Informa (INF) 389.00p +5.42%
Meggitt (MGGT) 253.25p +4.65%
Sports Direct International (SPD) 103.00p +3.78%
Inmarsat (ISAT) 478.50p +3.57%
Victrex (VCT) 815.50p +3.36%
Xchanging (XCH) 256.75p +3.22%
Spirent Communications (SPT) 67.50p +3.05%
Bradford & Bingley (BB.) 69.00p +2.99%
Shaftesbury (SHB) 459.00p +2.91%
Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) 337.75p +2.82%

FTSE 250 - Fallers
PartyGaming (PRTY) 279.25p -6.92%
Barratt Developments (BDEV) 156.75p -6.42%
Redrow (RDW) 222.50p -4.40%
Invensys (ISYS) 309.00p -3.44%
Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 301.75p -3.05%
Bellway (BWY) 604.00p -3.05%
888 Holdings (888) 140.75p -2.93%
Findel (FDL) 221.00p -2.75%
Electrocomponents (ECM) 163.50p -2.68%
Intermediate Capital Group (ICP) 1,533.00p -2.60%

• News Channel