Dublin ReportAIB was the dominant feature of the Irish stock market yesterday, adding seven cents to €12.27, as it held its annual meeting.

The bank's prediction that it would record mid-single-digit earnings growth in underlying adjusted earnings per share was in line with market forecasts

"There was a bit of a relief rally in the stock.

"People took heart that there were no negative surprises," one dealer said.

Anglo Irish Bank also added nine cents to €13.74 ahead of what are expected to be a good set of interim results next week.

But Bank of Ireland lost seven cents to €10.28.

And Irish Life & Permanent was down eight cents to €13.42 as the spectre of increased competition in the form of Bank of Scotland Ireland continued to hang over the banking sector.

Among the industrial stocks, CRH was also weaker, losing 25 cents to €17.90 as US GDP figures suggested the American economy grew steadily, but less robustly than expected, in the first quarter.

Independent News & Media also gave up ground, losing four cents to €1.94 as the sale of its regional newspapers to Archant was referred to the UK Competition Commission.

Dealers said the uncertainty surrounding its redundancy programme wasn't helping the stock either.

Galen shares remained weak, losing 56 cents to €11.65 in Dublin.

In London they were down two pence to 788 pence sterling, as concerns about prescription trends offset news of the disposal of its UK business to its former president, Allen McClay, for £40 million sterling.

Other movers yesterday included Ryanair, which added four cents to €4.89.

Irish Continental Group was on the move, up 15 cents to €12.55 ahead of its annual meeting today.

Among the losers was Paddy Power, off five cents to €9.45, while Eircom was unchanged at €1.48.Dublin ReportSettlement Day: May 5th