Allied Irish Banks shares have been given a boost with their inclusion on the new Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 Index, which is drawn from companies in the nine countries that are expected to participate in the single European currency. AIB is the only Irish company on the index, and will have a 0.75 per cent weighting in the Euro Stoxx 50.

Membership of the index will benefit companies like AIB, as fund managers may decide to use it as an indirect investment in EMU, a move that would increase demand for the bank's shares among overseas investors.