STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-UK small caps rise 0.3 pct, lag FTSE

The FTSE Small Cap index and junior-listed AIM shares rise 0.3 percent and 0.1 percent respectively, underperforming the mid-caps and the blue chips, both up 0.5 percent.

Newspaper group Trinity Mirror (LSE: TNI.L - news) extends the previous session's rally to trade 2.5 percent higher at 187.75 pence, benefitting from positive comment from Barclays (LSE: BARC.L - news) following Tuesday's trading update.

Trinity Mirror rose 4.4 percent on Tuesday after it said that 2013 adjusted profit would beat market forecasts after better than expected trade in November and December, but added it would also take some hefty impairment charges.

"Trinity Mirror's unscheduled FY13 update points to a much better end to 2013 and a reasonable start to 2014, leading us to upgrade our 2013 EPS by 6 percent and 2014 by 10 percent," Barclays write in a note, lifting their target price on the stock by 8 percent to 205 pence and retaining an "equal weight" rating on the newspaper group.

"Publishing Digital revenue was +32 percent in Nov/Dec. It is important to understand that is 2 percent of group, but this is still the first time they have been able to show strong growth in digital revenues."

West African Minerals falls 13.4 percent to 7.11 pence after issuing over 52 million shares at 7 pence per share, raising 3.7 million pounds ($6.03 million) before expenses.

($1 = 0.6137 British pounds)

Reuters messaging rm://alistair.smout.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net