ITV back as a blue chip firm
BROADCASTING giant ITV has returned to London’s blue chip share index in the latest reshuffle of the FTSE 100.
The group fell from the top flight in 2008, yet has returned under the leadership of former Royal Mail boss Adam Crozier.
Financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown also joined the elite share index, in an unprecedented move for the Bristol-based broker.
Founded by accountants Peter Hargreaves and Stephen Lansdown in the early 1980s, the firm has grown slowly and only listed in London as recently as 2007. The pair still hold around 50 per cent of the firm’s stock between them.
Hargreaves told City A.M.: “Its quite remarkable isn’t it. I think it’s a first too, I don’t think anyone has created a FTSE 100 company with no borrowings and no acquisitions. We’ve done it all through organic growth.”
Energy firm Wood Group also joined the FTSE 100, at the expense of Bunzl, Alliance Trust and African Barrick Gold.
The changes take effect from the start of trading on 21 March.