Davy Stockbrokers has retained its top position among Irish stockbrokers, according to the latest survey of the industry by Finance magazine.

According to the survey - which has been seen by The Irish Times - Davy has again been rated number one once for best dealing service and best equity research, even though ABNAmro won eight of the 12 individual analyst categories. The survey is based on a questionnaire circulated to Irish and overseas fund managers.

Goodbody has displaced ABNAmro from the number two position for best dealing service, with NCB, Bloxham and Merrion filling the minor placings. Merrion - formed earlier this year by a group of former NCB brokers - has turned in a strong showing for its equity research, jumping straight into fourth place, ahead of NCB and Bloxham. The top three placings of Davy, ABNAmro and Goodbody are unchanged from the previous year.

ABN-Amro had a bumper year with the number one position in eight of 12 individual categories. Mr Robbie Kelleher of Davy has retained his position as top equity strategist and is followed by Mr John Clarke of ABN-Amro and Mr Liam Igoe of Goodbody. Mr Eamonn Hughes of ABNAmro is top financials analyst, followed by Mr John Kelly of NCB, who has pushed Davy's Ms Emer Lang into third place.

Goodbody's Mr Igoe has kept his rating as the top food and agribusiness analyst. ABNAmro's Ms Rebecca Wood - a first-time entrant to the rankings - has leapt into second place in the category, displacing Davy's Mr John O'Reilly. NCB's Mr Paul Meade fills fourth position.

Mr Pat O'Sullivan Greene of ABN-Amro was voted top analyst of mid-capitalisation stocks, ahead of Mr Kieran Mahon of Davy and Mr Dick Watson of Goodbody. Ms Joan Garahy of Goodbody retained her title of top pharmaceuticals analyst for the third year running, ahead of Davy's Mr Jack Gorman.

Ms Jemma Houlihan of ABNAmro has retained her twin titles of top analyst for technology and telecom stocks. In the technology sector she is trailed by Goodbody's Mr Gerry Hennigan and in the telecom sector by Mr Scott Rankin of Davy.

Finance has scrapped its "leading industrials" category in favour of analyst ratings for specific companies. Mr Clarke of ABN-Amro is rated top analyst of CRH, followed by Davy's Mr Joe Burnell and Goodbody's Ms Garahy,

Mr O'Sullivan Greene of ABNAmro is the top Ryanair analyst, followed by Mr Mahon of Davy and Mr Shane Matthews of NCB. ABN-Amro has also taken the top Smurfit analyst title through Mr Clarke, who is followed by Davy's Mr Burnell and Good body's Mr Igoe. Davy's Mr Job Langbroek was the only analyst nominated in the resources sector.

ABN-Amro's Dr Dan McLaughlin has jumped from third place in 1999 to the top position for research economist.

Mr Dermot O'Brien of NCB - top economist last year - drops to third place, with Davy's Mr Jim O'Leary retaining his second place. Mr Michael O'Sullivan of NCB was voted top bond research analyst.