Small caps round-up: Asterand, Ark Therapeutics, Cash Converters (ShareCast via Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance)Shares in human tissue and drug discovery services supplier Asterand jumped nearly 60% after it nearly moved into profits following a surge in revenues.

Personal debt rises to £1.44trillion in UK (Daily Record)PERSONAL debt in the UK has outstripped the country's GDP for the second year running.

Spending and spending and spending ... (North County Times)Our cafeteria here at the Escondido office was stuffed beyond standing room this past Wednesday evening for a showing of the documentary "I.O.U.S.A.," which explores our soaring national and personal debt and the implications for the nation.

Personal Debt Tops GDP in Britain?Again (BusinessWeek)