3i, Barclays, Cape, Hays, Persimmon: U.K., Irish Equity Preview

By Charlie Duxbury

July 7 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose shares may have unusual price changes in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are from the last market close.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index was down 41.37 or 1 percent to 4,194.91. The FTSE All-Share Index fell 1 percent and Ireland’s ISEQ Index declined 3.5 percent.

3i Group Plc (III LN): Europe’s biggest publicly traded private equity firm releases trading. The company’s shares fell 3.25 pence, or 1.4 percent, to 226 pence.

Barclays Plc (BARC LN): The U.K.’s third-largest bank said Qatar Investment Authority has a 7.38 percent stake while Challenger Universal Ltd., an investment vehicle set up by Qatar, holds 2.84 percent, making the Gulf state the bank’s biggest shareholder. The shares fell 4.25 pence, or 1.4 percent, to 292.75 pence

Big Yellow Group Plc (BYG LN): The self-storage company releases trading. Its shares fell 0.3 pence, or 0.1 percent, to 338.75 pence.

Cape Plc (CIU LN): The supplier of industrial scaffolding and insulation releases trading. The shares fell 7.75 pence, or 4 percent, to 188 pence

CRH Plc (CRH LN): The manufacturer of cement and other building materials releases trading. The shares dropped 0.66 cents, or 4.2 percent, to 15.26 euros.

Hays Plc (HAS LN): The recruitment agency’s Chief Executive Officer Alistair Cox said “the mood and tone of voice” of the company’s trading statement, July 9, is “unlikely to be any different” from recent trading updates in which the company has said business will remain tough for some time, the Financial Times reported, citing comments by Cox. Its shares fell 1.5 pence, or 1.8 percent, to 81.75 pence.

Michael Page International Plc (MPI LN): The U.K.’s second- largest recruitment company releases trading. The shares declined 4.5 pence, or 2 percent, to 225.5 pence.

N Brown Group Plc (BWNG LN): The U.K. owner of mail-order catalogs Fashion World and Simply Be, releases trading. Its shares rose 8.5 pence, or 4 percent, to 220 pence.

Persimmon Plc (PSN LN): The U.K.’s largest homebuilder by market value releases trading. Its shares gained 4.75 pence, or 1.3 percent, to 363.25 pence.