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The FTSE Small Cap index was 0.8 percent lower inmidday trade, outperforming the wider market, with the bluechips and the midcaps both suffering 1.6 percentfalls.
Pentagon Protection, a provider of security andenergy saving solutions, leaps 76 percent on a 1.9 million pound($2.91 million) contract win for the supply of portable X-rayequipment by the group's security division SDS Group.
Veterinary medicines supplier Animalcare edges 0.7percent higher after it unveils a 13 percent year-on-year risein revenue for the six months to Dec. 2012, and says full-yearresults are still expected to be in line with expectations.
"Increased sales of high margin Veterinary Medicines wasagain the key driver and we see further mileage in H2 and beyondas the Group moves further up the value chain," N+1 Singer saysin a note.
The broker adds that the shares remain attractively valuedrelative to the group's animal health peers, the strong balancesheet affords strategic flexibility and there is the addedattraction of a 3.4 percent dividend yield.
Reuters messagingrm://tricia.wright1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net($1 = 0.6535 British pounds)
