The FTSE Small Caps Index rises by 0.1 percent in early morningtrade, outperforming a flat blue-chip FTSE 100 index while the FTSE 250mid-cap index gains 0.2 percent.
Northgate climbs 7.5 percent after the company, which runs acommercial vehicle hire business, completes a corporate refinancing deal. Thisin turn leads brokerage Jefferies to raise its price target on Northgate sharesto 375 pence from 355 pence, while keeping an overall "buy" recommendation onthe stock.
Aquarius Platinum also advances by 7 percent after the miningcompany, whose shares are also listed in Australia, reports higherproduction figures and an improvement in its cash position.
"We see the highlight of today's Q3 results from Aquarius as being the $10million improvement in the cash position. That marks a significant turning pointafter a number of years of declining cash," Panmure Gordon writes in a researchnote, keeping a "buy" rating on the stock.
However, Vane Minerals falls 22.7 percent after warning of lowerincome from its Mexican gold and silver operations, which leads NorthlandCapital to cut its rating on the stock to "hold" from "buy".
Reuters messaging rm://sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net