UK small caps dip 0.2 percent, along with the blue chips but outperforming the mid-caps, which fall 1.1 percent.
Cineworld gains 2.7 percent to 305.25 pence, extending the previous session's gains and setting fresh all time highs, benefitting from further positive broker comment.
In addition to a reiteration of a "buy" stance from Peel Hunt on Wednesday, Canaccord Genuity "remain strong buyers" of the stock with a target price of 360 pence, citing good box office numbers and a strong slate of upcoming films.
"Recent industry data suggests that weekend box office revenues are 13 percent ahead of last year. This data does not include the release of Iron Man 3 which has generated 13.7 million pounds ($21.31 million) at the UK box office from the first five days in cinemas... the biggest opening of the year so far," analysts at Canaccord Genuity say in a note.
"Comparatives are not overly challenging with Cineworld achieving box office growth of 8.6 percent in the first 19 weeks last year."
Botswana Diamonds rises 8 percent to 3.34 pence after announcing the extension of 13 licences in the southern African country.
"This... will enable the company's multinational partner to undertake additional work on the property in order to properly evaluate its findings," analysts at Westhouse Securities say in a note, maintaining an 'add' recommendation and a 5.5 pence target price.
($1 = 0.6430 British pounds)
Reuters messaging rm://alistair.smout.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net
