UK small caps close 0.3 percent higher, lagging theblue chips and the midcaps, both up 0.6 percent.
Begbies Traynor advances 8.5 percent after thebusiness recovery practice issues a trading update, with thecompany maintaining its year guidance.
Structural steelwork maker Severfield-Rowen falls4.9 percent after saying it plans a rights issue priced at a67.8 percent discount to the closing stock price on Wednesday.
Reuters messagingrm://tricia.wright1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net