LONDON (Thomson Financial) – UK smaller companies closed up at a session high, tracking a strong performance in the broader market, with Avanti Screenmedia the best performer after it said it was no longer reliant on its overdraft.

At the close, the FTSE Small Cap index was 21.6 points higher at 3,885.4, while the FTSE 100 closed up 61.6 points to 6,376.8.

Leading the risers, Avanti Screenmedia closed 38 pct higher, up 1.25 pence to 4.50 pence, after it said it had secured a 100,000 stg loan and was no longer reliant on its overdraft facility.

Avanti also said advertising sales across the company are performing strongly with booked Read more

Latest research released by Healthplan provider HSA reveals a worrying picture for the future health of the UK. The annual benchmark survey has found that the nation is losing its faith in our National Health Service with only a third of respondents thinking the NHS will always be a part of the UK healthcare system, and a further 59% are concerned they may not be able to afford the cost of health in the future.

These are just a few of the findings of HSA’s “Is the UK looking at a healthy future?” report which is now in its second year. The independent survey looks at the future of UK healthcare from three key perspectives – employee, employer and the UK at large, in an attempt to predict what the future health of our nation holds. Read more