The FTSE small cap index falls 0.7 percent while the junior-listedFTSE AIM All Share Index declines by 1 percent, broadly tracking a 1.2 percentslide on the blue-chip FTSE 100 index but slightly outperforming a 1.6percent drop on the mid-cap index.
Fashion company Bonmarche avoids the broader market slump to gainby 1.2 percent after the group says in a trading update that it expectsfull-year results slightly ahead of the company's expectations, promptingbrokerage Investec to raise its price target on the stock to 315 pence from 300pence.
"A pleasing end to the year with Bonmarché exceeding our expectationsdespite an unfavourable pre-Christmas and January/February market backdrop,"Investec writes in a note.
The London-listed shares of Aquarius Platinum fall 4.9 percent afterthe platinum producer's Australian-listed shares slumped 9.9 percentovernight as part of a broader sell-off on the Sydney stock market.
Reuters messaging rm://sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net