STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-UK small caps end 1.5 pct higher

The FTSE Small Cap index and junior-listed AIM shares rise 1.5 percent and 0.7 percent respectively, underperforming the mid-caps and the blue chips, up 2 percent and 1.7 percent.

Abcam (Other OTC: ABCZF - news) , a supplier of protein research tools, falls 11.9 percent after the company posts first-half results. Numis Securities notes that the numbers are as expected, but exchange rate changes will impact forecasts for 2015.

"Exchange rate changes have little effect on EBIT in FY2014 due to hedges, but in FY2015, the total impact of non-catalogue forecast changes and our new FX assumptions brings PBT (profit before tax) down 8 percent," Numis says in a note.

Numis cuts its rating on Abcam to "hold" from "add".

Aggregates business Breedon Aggregates (LSE: BREE.L - news) advances 3.2 percent to 40.09 pence after the company's full-year results, which show a 29.5 percent rise in revenues to 224.5 million pounds ($375.3 million).

"Full-year results came in better than expected... Trading conditions look robust for the next couple of years and the group can now refocus back on deals," Peel Hunt says in a note, lifting its target price for Breedon to 45 pence, from 39 pence.

Reuters messaging rm://tricia.wright1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net ($1 = 0.5982 British pounds)