Shares in Southern Cross Healthcare Group Plc (LON:SCHE) plunged more than 10% to 62.5p after the care home group posted wider half-year pre-tax losses of £22.9m, up from £12.5m a year ago. The company warned that efforts to drive efficiencies into its New Horizons business would not be completed until the end of 2011. Elsewhere, it blamed pressures on public sector spending and a significant disparity in the commissioning practices of local authority budget holders for compounding the difficult economic conditions.

888 Holdings, the online gaming group, saw its shares nudge up by 1.4% to 74p on the back of news of a joint venture with Microgaming and a strategic agreement to launch a joint poker network for the French market. Gigi Levy, 888’s CEO, said the deal “marks a turning point in the industry with big networks collaborating in newly regulated markets”. Shares in 888 have been on the slide since the end of April after it warned that trading in the second quarter had been disappointing.

Business support services group Babcock International Group (LON:BAB) enjoyed a 1.8% rise in its share price to 567.5p on the back of what its called “another set of strong results”. Pre-tax profits for the full year jumped by 21% to £129.2m on revenues flat at £1.9bn. The group also gave an upbeat assessment of its prospects for the coming year and noted that the proposed acquisition of rival VT Group (LON:VTG) would boost its scale and capabilities in its core markets.

Shares in Henderson Group (LON:HGG) fell by 2.6% to 138.2p after the asset manager reported that first quarter outflows of £0.6bn has partially dented the effects of favourable markets and currency movements which contributed £2.8bn during the period. The group finished the quarter with a 4% rise in assets under management to £60.3bn. CEO Andrew Formica said the group was looking forward to strong organic growth and was also considering further acquisition opportunities.

Finally, shares in Talk Talk Telecom slumped by 3% to 125.4p despite news that last year’s “transformational” acquisition of Tiscali and its recent demerger from Carphone Warehouse Group (LON:CPW) were working out well. Indicative revenues for the year rose by 21.7% to £1.68bn, with pre-tax profits coming in at £103m excluding exceptional items. CEO Charles Dunstone said the company would spend the coming year focusing on broadband and integrating…

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