TROUBLED iSoft Group made a rare appearance among the FTSE 250’s best performers after a closely followed bear of the healthcare software developer dropped his “reduce” recommendation.

David Toms, at Numis Securities, commands a following among fund managers for his forensic scrutiny of the accounts of technology stocks, having spotted impending problems at the likes of Anite Group and The Innovation Group during the dot-com downturn ahead of his peers. Since joining Numis last year, Mr Toms has proved equally on the ball on iSoft, which, having fallen 77 per cent since January, is the mid-cap index’s worst performer. Although Mr Toms heralded Tuesday’s disclosure that NHS trusts will be allowed to retain their existing McKesson-developed systems until 2010 — meaning iSoft’s new software may not be fully installed until three years after the current 2007 expectation — he moved from the shares from “reduce” to “hold” on valuation grounds after recent price falls. iSoft added 1½p at 93p, against a 266.3 drop in the FTSE 250 to 9,275.9.

Elsewhere, Anite firmed ¼p to 68¼p as Altium Securities moved from “sell” to “hold” after a 15 per cent fall since its downgrade last month. Horizon Technology held steady at 69½p on suggestions that the computer storage speciliast has poached staff from rivals InTechnology, up ½p at 39½p, and Nasdaq-listed Bell Microproducts. Baggeridge Brick hardened 1p to 155p as Arbuthnot Securities repeated its 185p target following solid first-half figures. An upgrade from “hold” to “buy” from Panmure Gordon — citing last week’s Wei discovery in China — sent Roc Oil up 12½p to 159p. London Scottish Bank put on 2¾p at 106½p on hopes that Cattles, 2p cheaper at 357p, will enter the bidding for the consumer finance provider.

Invox, the direct mail specialist, improved 1p to 35p as The Command Fund, which also holds 13.8 per cent of Imagesound, steady at 978p, emerged with a debut 7.3 per cent stake. Last week Danny Fiszman, the Arsenal FC director, declared a debut 10.2 per cent holding in the company, which recently gave warning on profits. Felix Group, which raised £5.5 million at 10p last week, firmed ¼p to 12p on word it has secured the first contract for its Max Box cash machine. Kwik Save, the chain recently bought out by management from Somerfield, is thought to be the client.

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