The FTSE small cap index and junior-listed AIM shares rise0.3 and 0.4 percent, respectively, lagging a 0.9 percent rally in the blue chips in morning trade.
Ferrex rises 5.3 percent after the AIM-listed iron ore andmanganese development company signs binding term sheet to advance its Mebagaproject in Gabon, whereby Anglo American and Kumba fund theexploration over a period of up to two years.
"Attracting the attention of two majors with balance sheets capable of fasttracking Mebaga all the way to production of DSO material is a major coupfor Ferrex. As such we expect a significant re-rating of the counter," AustinMcKelvie, analyst at Daniel Stewart, writes in a note.
Earthport jumps 16 percent after the cross-border payments serviceprovider signs a multi-year agreement with Bank of America Merrill Lynch toexpand the bank's low value clearing capabilities globally and to improve theefficiency of its high volume, low value payments.
The terms include minimum revenue to Earthport of $11.3 million, with themajority of that anticipated within the first 30 months of the agreement.
Reuters messaging rm://antonina.vorobyova.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net