The FTSE AIM All Share small cap equity index is up by 0.3 percentin early session trading, beating a 0.1 percent rise on the blue-chip FTSE 100index and a 0.1 percent decline on the FTSE 250 mid-cap index.
Fund management company Polar Capital rises 2.2 percent afterreporting an 80 percent rise in its assets under management.
Analysts at Panmure Gordon describe its update as "positive" and keep a"hold" rating on Polar Capital's shares.
Bloomsbury Publishing, whose titles include the Harry Potterseries, rises 3.7 percent after reporting that the company's trading in the fourmonths up to the end of December had been "very good".
Investec analysts keep a "buy" rating on Bloomsbury Publishing, writing in aresearch note that the company's business prospects are "simmering nicely."
Model games company Games Workshop, however, slumps 24.2 percentafter posting lower interim profits, which prompts brokerage Peel Hunt to cutits rating on the stock to "hold" from "buy".
Reuters messaging rm://sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net