STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-UK AIM small cap index rises to beat blue-chips

The FTSE AIM All Share small cap equity index is up by 0.3 percent in early session trading, beating a 0.1 percent rise on the blue-chip FTSE 100 index and a 0.1 percent decline on the FTSE 250 mid-cap index.

Fund management company Polar Capital rises 2.2 percent after reporting 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 (LSE: BMY.L - news) , whose titles include the Harry Potter series, rises 3.7 percent after reporting that the company's trading in the four months up to the end of December had been "very good".

Investec (LSE: INVP.L - news) analysts keep a "buy" rating on Bloomsbury Publishing, writing in a research note that the company's business prospects are "simmering nicely."

Model games company Games Workshop (LSE: GAW.L - news) , however, slumps 24.2 percent after posting lower interim profits, which prompts brokerage Peel Hunt to cut its rating on the stock to "hold" from "buy".

Reuters messaging rm://sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net