The FTSE Small Caps Index edges up by 0.2 percent in early sessiontrading, slightly lagging a 0.4 percent advance on the blue-chip FTSE 100 index and underperforming a 0.6 percent rise on the FTSE 250 mid-caps index.
The junior-listed FTSE AIM All Share Index slips 0.1 percent.
Pawnbroker Albemarle & Bond slumps 38.2 percent after issuing aprofit warning. Trading volumes in the stock come in at nearly 3 times above theaverage 90-day volume on the shares.
"The update indicates that the trading environment continues to bechallenging and does not show any signs of improvement," N+1 Singer analystswrite in a note, adding they have withdrawn their forecasts and rating onAlbemarle & Bond for now.
Acta, a company dealing in renewable energy technology, rises 3.2percent after it sells a power system in Singapore.
"This is noteworthy as it marks the first order for a complete Acta Powersystem for powering off-grid communities," Cantor Fitzgerald analysts write in aresearch note, keeping a "buy" rating on Acta.
Medical diagnostics group Omega Diagnostics rises 5.4 percent afterposting higher interim profits.
Reuters messaging rm://sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net