Travel and tourism shares – with three big exceptions – had a largely negative session yesterday, as London’s main equity indices registered small gains.
The FTSE 100 index added 12.7 points to end the day at 4642.8, while the FTSE 250 gained four points to close at 6326.5.
Online retailers ebookers and lastminute.com benefited from takeover and merger gossip in the City.
Lastminute.com added 4p to 108p on news that nearly four per cent of the company –a block of some 12 millon shares, The Guardian reports – changed hands yesterday.
Meanwhile, more talk that Priceline.com could be in takeover talks with ebookers drove shares in the online retailer up 9.25p to 230p.
Ryanair also had a good session; its shares gained 8.59p to end the day at 276.95p.
Alpha Airports 86.5p UP 1.5p
BAA 573.5p UP 1.5p
British Airways 214.5p UP 8p
Carnival 2897p NO CHANGE
De Vere 425p UP 0.5p
EasyJet 157.75p NO CHANGE
ebookers 230p UP 9.25p
EuroDisney 18p NO CHANGE
Eurotunnel 19.5p DOWN 0.75p
First Choice 132p DOWN 1p
Hilton Group 256p DOWN 1.75p
Holidaybreak 540p UP 2p
Intercontinental 666.5p UP 9p
Lastminute.com 108p UP 4p
MyTravel 4.25p NO CHANGE
P&O 268p DOWN 1.25p
Rank Group 287.25p DOWN 2.25p
Ryanair 276.95p UP 8.59p
Stagecoach 89.75p DOWN 0.25p
TBI 72.25p UP 0.75p
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd
