A MOVE by CRH back to its all time high and a generally firmer second line sector were the main features of another pretty dull day on the Dublin market.

Little enthusiasm was being displayed by either brokers or fund managers. Financials were dull and there was more interest in what the Central Bank was saying about burgeoning mortgage lending than anything else.

CRH was the busiest of the major stocks and dealt up steadily from its overnight 596p to close on its previous high of 600p.

Smurfit, however, was weaker in the expectation of down gradings of profits and earnings. Dr Michael Smurfit's comments about current trading at today's a.g.m. will be closely scrutinised by the market. The shares dosed down 4p on 164p yesterday.

Kerry rose 5p to a new high of 640p but other food stocks were not affected by Waterford chief executive Mr Malt Walsh's comments about possible mergers. Waterford did not trade from its overnight 94p while Avonmore was unchanged on 148p.

Second liners were generally firmer. Independent, which has been weak in recent weeks as a result of the fall of the South African rand, regained 15p to 515p. Clondalkin jumped 12p to 460p and Crean gained 5p to 250p as mystery investor Moray disclosed that its stake has now risen to more than 9 per cent. DCC was 3p higher on 263p and IWP gained 5p to 490p while Jurys was also 3p higher on 255p.

There was little activity in financial shares although Woodchester reached a three year high with a 4p gain to 200p. AIB and Bank of Ireland were both a penny stronger on 338p and 443p respectively.