STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-FTSE small caps up 0.9pct at midday

The FTSE Small Cap index .FTSC gains 0.9 percent in mid-session trade, underperforming both the blue chips .FTSE and the midcaps .FTMC, which rise 1.7 percent and 1 percent respectively.

Earthport (EPO.L) jumps 19.5 percent after the company signs a contract that will get the money-transfer firm a 3.25 million pounds franchise fee from Zink Financial SA for the territories of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. [ID:nBNG428040]

British semiconductor services firm Pure Wafer PLC (PUR.L) tumbles 23 percent as the company reports a widening full-year pretax loss of 5.3 million pounds from 0.8 million in 2008 and says, "it is too early to be confident about a sustained return to growth". [ID:nRn1W8419C]

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