UK small caps and junior-listed AIM shares rise 0.3 and 0.2 percent, respectively, mirroring similar gainson the mid-caps and the blue chips.
Mariana Resources jumps 30 as the AIM-listedexplorer proceeds with the option to earn a 70 percent interestin Condor Resources Inc.'s Soledad prospect in Peru, havingcompleted due diligence on the gold-silver-copper project.
AIM-listed Universe Group, a supplier of payment andloyalty solutions to the UK retail fuel industry, advances 8.5percent after buying the trade and assets of Retail Service TeamLtd.
"The acquisition is expected to provide routes to growththrough broadening of Universe's in house expertise and furtherexpanding the addressable market in the general retail sector,"writes finnCap analyst Andrew Darlye.
"Target price of 10 pence maintained, with the opportunityfor the acquisition to add outperformance from synergies andunmodelled growth, as well as scale and credibility to thebenefit of the multiple."
Reuters messagingrm://tricia.wright1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net
