The FTSE Small Caps Index rises 0.1 percent in early morningtrading, underperforming a 0.5 percent gain on both the blue-chip FTSE 100 index and on the FTSE 250 mid-cap index.
FTSE Aim All Share Index is flat.
Share Plc, the holding company which operates UK stockbroker TheShare Centre Ltd, rises 2.2 percent after reporting that trading at its businesshas been strong.
Kazakhstan-focused oil and gas exploration company Max Petroleum rises 3.2 percent after reporting positive results from its SAGW-4 appraisalwell.
Hardide, a company which provides surface coating technology, slumps10.2 percent after posting an interim loss and lower turnover.
Despite this, analysts at brokerage N+1 singer remain confident in Hardide'sprospects.
"In spite of the more subdued H1 showing, and the ongoing impact of customerdestocking during H2 2013, we remain highly confident in Hardide's medium andlong term prospects," they write in a research note.
Reuters messaging rm://sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net