STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-UK small caps advance, AGA strong gainer

The FTSE Small Cap index edges up 0.1 percent, while the FTSE AIM index slips 0.1 percent, lagging a 0.4 percent rise on the FTSE 100 .

Shares in AGA Rangemaster (LSE: AGA.L - news) rise 6.7 percent as the kitchen furniture maker says its cooker orders are up by more than 15 percent so far this year.

Volume on the stock, which closes at 131.75 pence, is nearly four times its average for the past three months.

"Aga has, this morning, released an upbeat IMS (interim management statement)," Espirito Santo says in a note, raising its fair value for the stock to 145 pence from 95 pence.

"There is little change in the shape of the P&L (profit & loss) for FY13e but assuming no more than a continuation of second half top line trends into FY14e, we make material changes to our estimates for the outer years."

Shares in Antrim Energy (Toronto: AEN.TO - news) shed 27.7 percent, the top fallers on the AIM index, as the oil & gas exploration and production company sees its net loss more than treble year on year to $16.1 million in the three months to the end of September.

Volume on the stock is around 11 times its average.

Reuters messaging rm://francesco.canepa.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net