The FTSE Small Cap index slips 0.1 percent,underperforming junior-listed AIM shares, up 0.3percent, and the mid-caps, 0.6 percent firmer.
Miner Talvivaara drops 8 percent,topping the FTSE Small Cap fallers' list, after saying itspermit to extract uranium at its nickel mine has been returnedto the Finnish government by a court following the company'srecent financial and operational problems.
AIM-listed cancer diagnostics company ValiRx advances more than 4 percent after saying its method for cancerscreening has recently received patent approval by theAustralian patent office.
Reuters messagingrm://tricia.wright1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net