A Johnson Matthey Battery Systems drivetrain in a Rolls-Royce shell.
Shares in Johnson Matthey climbed 6%, or 189p, to 3,341p after the specialty chemicals group delivered a 10% hike in half-year profits.
The underlying pre-tax return of £216.4 million for the six months to September 30 was in line with management expectations, and the firm said it expected its full-year results to be slightly ahead of 2013/14.
Dundee-based Johnson Matthey Battery Systems, which is a leading player in the design and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery systems, is part of the group’s New Businesses section, which enjoyed a sales increase of 5% in the period.
However, there was a “modest” increase in the underlying operating loss in the division due to continued investment.
