Some in the City think Balfour Beatty, Carillion and Amec are the best-placed in the industry to cash in on the PFI and other lucrative long-term contracts. That remains to be seen, but last week all three had healthy gains in their share prices.
Amec's stock rose 10% to 400p, Balfour Beatty was up 8% to 173p and Carillion improved 5% to 135p.
The increases are especially pleasing for Balfour and Carillion after a difficult few week. Balfour was hit a fortnight ago when it announced that it was pulling out of the Ilisu Dam in Turkey. There were City rumours that the government had been leaning on it to stick with the project; other Square Milers wondered why it had taken the group more than four years to realise it had hitched its wagon to a chicken.
Carillion is also bouncing back after news broke last week that it had missed out on two hospital PFI deals to Skanska-led consortiums. The fall adds a new twist to a volatile year, with the City unsure about new chief executive John McDonough's strategy.
