UK shares went higher on Thursday, but small caps were making slightly better ground than Footsie.
FTSE100 closed up 0.03% at 6.365 as the Bank of England voted unanimously to keep interest rates unchanged for the 85th consecutive month and made reference to potential weakness in the economy amid the Europe referendum vote.
The biggest laggard was house builder housebuilder group Persimmon (LON:PSON), which fell 5.99% to stand at 1,900p.
In smaller indices, FTSE AIM 100 gained 0.09% to stand at 3,459, while the FTSE AIM All share added 0.18% to stand at 732.530.
Trouble continues to build for troubled Kurdistan oil group Gulf Keystone Petroleum (LON:GKP), which tumbled 27% as it warned it needs more funds to maintain production. Shares ended at 5.14p. It was the second heaviest faller in London after Ruspetro, down over 78%.
GKP was one of the largest companies on AIM before it moved to the main market but its value is now under £50mln.
Today’s update said it has to spend US$71mln on its Shaikan field in order to keep output at 40,000 barrels of oil per day. That is before finding US$575mln for debts that are due to mature next year.
On the up side, copper junior Weatherly International PLC (LON:WTI) was the outstanding riser, with shares adding 50% to stand at 0.75p.
Shares zoomed up after an impressive production update from its Tschudi copper asset in Namibia.
First quarter output was 4% above its nameplate production rate of 17,000 tonnes per annum and up on the preceding quarter.
Costs were also well below guidance it said.
Herencia Resources (LON:HER) was also a good riser, adding over 46% to stand at 0.05p.
Orosur Mining (LON:OMI) was up over 3% to 8.375p as it posted third quarter results, which showed it swinging into the black.
Entertainment One (LON:ETO) rose over 13% to 180.10p although it firmly rejected reports that ITV (LON:ITV) had made an approach.
The Peppa Pig maker said no such approach had been made but the shares rose by 13% to 178.5p nonetheless.
Another riser was niche finance house Private & Commercial Finance Group plc (LON:PCF), up 7.87% to 24p, as it said performance in the 12 month period just ended will be slightly ahead of expectations.