STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-UK small caps dip 0.2 percent at open

The FTSE Small Cap index is down 0.2 percent early on, outperformingsteeper fals by the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indexes, of 0.8percent and 0.9 percent respectively.

Aquarius Platinum sheds 8.4 percent after the platinum miner's chiefexecutive, Stuart Murray resigns with immediate effect, the company says onMonday, giving no reason for his departure.

"End of an era of the rumbustious Murray, whose presence and comments aroundthe platinum sector will be missed, for whatever reason," Numis says in a note.

Explorers Aminex and Solo Oil add 5 perecnt and 6percent respectively as they say they are seeking a partner to help pay fortheir hunt for oil and gas in Tanzania, a country attracting high interest fromoil majors who see East Africa as a new hydrocarbon-producing region.

"We would expect completion of a farm-out deal to act as an importantcatalyst, and continue to calculate Risked net asset value of 20 pence per share(for Aminex) ... 1.4 pence per share (for Solo)," Shore Capital says in a note.

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