The FTSE Small Cap Index falls 0.4 percent while the junior-listedFTSE AIM All Share Index retreats 0.8 percent, broadly tracking a 0.8percent drop on the blue-chip FTSE 100 index.
The FTSE 250 mid-cap index falls 1.2 percent.
Oxford BioMedica declines by 2.9 percent, as brokerage N+1 Singersays it has decided to place its forecasts on the company under review followingthe company's final results statement on April 10.
"Oxford BioMedica reported 2013 full-year results yesterday highlightingthat it has cash sufficient to fund company activities into Q3 2014. As aresult, funding is likely to become strained in the very near term unless a newsource of finance is identified," write N+1 Singer analysts.
An overnight sell-off on biotechnology stocks on the United States' Nasdaqindex also weighs on small-cap UK companies in that sector as well, withInternational Biotech falling by 4.7 percent while Biotech Growth Trust retreats by 4 percent.
Reuters messaging rm://sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net
Int.biotech. (IBT)
Oxford Biomedica (OXB)