The FTSE small cap index is up by 0.2 percent in mid-sessiontrading, slightly underperforming a 0.4 percent rise on the blue-chip FTSE 100index.
Junior-listed AIM shares slip by 0.1 percent, while the FTSE 250mid-cap index rises 0.1 percent.
Loans and pawnbroking company H&T Group rises 3.3 percent after thecompany says in a trading update that it expects its annual profits to meetmarket expectations.
"We are encouraged by this and believe that management has taken action tocontrol costs and a prudent approach to pricing to be able to achieve this,"brokerage N+1 Singer writes in a research note, keeping a "buy" rating on thestock.
BATM Advanced Communications falls 17.7 percent after the company,which makes telecoms systems gear, says it expects core earnings to be belowmarket forecasts due to lower-than-expected revenues at its telecoms division.
Reuters messaging rm://sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net