Stocks News Europe: Small caps fall 0.4 pct, lag AIM stocks
24/02/2014 10:54
The FTSE Small Cap index .FTSC falls 0.4 percent, in line with the blue chips .FTSE and the mid-caps .FTMC , but lagging junior-listed AIM shares .FTAI , which gain 0.6 percent. United Carpets Group UCG.L is one of the day's biggest gainers, up 36.4 percent. Shares in the British retail carpet and floor covering group are boosted by a company statement saying trading in the second half of the current financial year was better than expected. "Management has now established a profitable base of stores with the support of a relatively solid balance sheet and an improving trend in sales," analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald say in a note. Shares in diamond exploration group Karelian Diamond Resources KDR.L are down 10.8 percent, hit by the company posting a 96,610 euro ($132,800) loss for the first half of 2013. This compared to a loss of 72,545 euros for the same period in 2012. ($1 = 0.7275 euros) Reuters messaging rm://joshua.franklin.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net Keywords: MARKETS EUROPE STOCKSNEWS