Dunelm shares rose 6.3% on Wednesday after it said like-for-like sales jumped 9.3% in the 13 weeks to 30 September.That made the soft furnishings retailer the biggest riser on the FTSE 250, which closed down 21.5 points at 20,167.78.The FTSE 100 fell 4.46 points, or 0.11%, to 7,533.81 points.Packaging company Mondi was the blue chip index’s biggest loser, falling almost 8% after warning on profits.The firm blamed a weaker US dollar and a “sharply weaker Turkish lira”, as well as a 15% rise in the cost of wood, energy and chemicals.AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said: “Like-for-like sales are up and average selling prices are generally higher, but the group is beset by continuing cost pressures and currency losses.”Medical device maker Smith & Nephew’s shares rose 3.1%, with shares in EasyJet and Whitbread also among the top risers.There was a 4.3% fall in the shares of Provident Financial, the owner of Vanquis Bank, which was fined £75,000 on Tuesday for sending nuisance texts and emails.On the currency markets, the pound was flat against the dollar at $1.3204 and was down 0.32% against the euro at €1.1146.
Source: BBC News