LONDON -- Just when the FTSE 100 (INDEX: ^FTSE) had broken the 5,900 level and looked to approaching its 52-week high of 5,989 points, we had a U.S. market panic that led to a slump of more than 100 points in the index of top U.K. shares yesterday. Today it's down further at 5,776 points, having lost about 15 points on the day so far.
But individual companies in the FTSE indexes hit new heights every day. Here are three shares that are soaring this year...
Pace (LSE: PIC.L)
Pace, the set-top box and digital-broadcasting technologist, has had a cracking year, with the shares having tripled to reach a new 52-week high of 193.4 pence.
Pre-tax profit did fall back a bit last year, and this year it's expected to be pretty flat, but there's a return to growth forecast for 2013, and the shares are on a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 11 for this year, falling to nine next, which is way below the long-term FTSE average of about 14.
Rank (LSE: RNK.L)
Rank Group hit a new high yesterday of 154.3 pence before falling back a little today to stand at 148 pence at the time of writing. Rank's recovery since a slump around the middle of the year has been impressive: The shares are now up 35% on their 52-week low of 110 pence.
Full-year forecasts indicate a 16% rise in earnings from the gaming and leisure operator, with a dividend of a little over 2.5% expected.
Moneysupermarket.com (LSE: MONY.L)
Moneysupermarket.com has been a success story in recent years, today hitting a new 52-week high of 151 pence. That takes the shares up 55% from their year-low of 97 pence set just before last Christmas and up more 350% since their low point during the credit crunch.
Indications for the full year suggest a 20% rise in earnings and a 3.7% dividend, with 2013 figures improving to 24% and 4.4%, respectively.
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