The FTSE Small Cap index falls 0.4 percent, in line with the bluechips and the mid-caps, but lagging junior-listed AIM shares, which gain 0.6 percent.
United Carpets Group is one of the day's biggest gainers, up 36.4percent. Shares in the British retail carpet and floor covering group areboosted by a company statement saying trading in the second half of the currentfinancial year was better than expected.
"Management has now established a profitable base of stores with the supportof a relatively solid balance sheet and an improving trend in sales," analystsat Cantor Fitzgerald say in a note.
Shares in diamond exploration group Karelian Diamond Resources aredown 10.8 percent, hit by the company posting a 96,610 euro ($132,800) loss forthe first half of 2013. This compared to a loss of 72,545 euros for the sameperiod in 2012.
($1 = 0.7275 euros)
Reuters messaging rm://joshua.franklin.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net
