Morrisons added to FTSE 100, Just Eat booted from blue-chip index

British supermarket chain Morrisons is joining London’s premier FTSE 100 index, while takeaway delivery service company Just Eat Takeaway.com has been booted from the benchmark of blue-chip stocks.

Engineer Weir Group will also leave the FTSE 100, while defence technology company Meggitt will be added.

Meanwhile, on the index of mid-cap companies, the FTSE 250, Darktrace and Draper Esprit have been added.

The addition of Morrisons to the capital’s premier index comes as the company has been the subject of a bidding war among rival US private equity firms. 

The supermarket’s board has recommended a £7bn bid from Clayton, Dubilier and Rice, which is expected to be put to a shareholder vote in mid-September.

Just Eat Takeaway.com has been kicked off the FTSE 100 due to the index’s watchdog, FTSE Russell, deeming it is a Dutch instead of a British company, breaching rules enabling companies to be included on the blue-chip index.

The addition of Cambridge-based Darktrace on the mid-cap index comes almost five months after the cybersecurity and AI company listed in London. Since listing, the company’s share price has risen over 140 per cent.

Further changes to London’s mid-cap index include private equity firm Bridgepoint Group and Blackrock Throgmorton, an investment trust run by the sprawling investment company, being included.

Ballistic manufacturer Avon Protection and Civitas, the social housing provider, have been removed from the FTSE 250.

In its provisional list of changes, FTSE Russell had said broadcaster ITV would be kicked off the FTSE 100.