UK small caps are 0.1 percent higher at mid-session, compared togains of around 1 percent on both the mid-caps and the blue chips.
Highland Gold rises 5 percent after the Russia-focused miner postsan 18.5 percent increase in 2012 net profit to $123 million, thanks to risinggold sales.
"This was a good set of results, and above consensus. The dividend willplease," analysts at Westhouse write. "However, in light of the weaker goldprice, we will be reviewing our current forecasts which are based on $1,600 perounce spot gold average for and $1,675 per ounce in 2014."
Shares in Next Fifteen Communications shed 14 percent, followingnews of a 31 percent year-on-year drop in basic earnings per share in the sixmonths to end-January. The digital communications group also says that higherthan expected restructuring charges will persist into the future and that fullyear profits will be "modestly short" of earlier expectations.
Reuters messaging rm://antonina.vorobyova.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net
