Other finance stories in brief
Value of stock traded on ISE up by 20%
The value of shares traded on the Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) rose by 20 per cent to €65.8 billion in the first six months of the year.
Average daily turnover increased to €526 million from €441 million a year earlier. The average number of transactions rose by 22 per cent to 3,843, reaching a record high of 6,574 on May 31st, the ISE said.
The exchange noted that listed companies raised €1.15 billion in the first half of 2006.
Four new companies joined the Irish Enterprise Exchange (IEX), bringing the total number of companies listed to 17.
The exchange enjoyed a 34 per cent increase in the listing of debt securities compared to the same period of 2005 with the number of investment funds listed rising to 4,224 and a 13 per cent increase in the number of new listings.
Eircom continues payphone service
Eircom will be obliged to provide public payphones and free telephone directories for the next four years under the terms of a ruling published by the State's communications watchdog.
According a draft decision published yesterday by ComReg, Eircom will continue to have universal service provider (USP) status until 2010.
But the regulator said that Eircom would no longer have to provide directory enquiry services.
A new directory enquiry service, Call 11890, is to enter the Irish market and create 150 new jobs.
High demand for Dairygold spin-off
Reox Holdings, a group spun out of the former co-operative Dairygold, said demand for its shares had been "considerable", with about 28,000 units being traded on Monday, the first day of trading on the grey market.
This values the company at about €184 million.
Sun TV starts trading on AIM
Shares in Sun TV shop, a multimedia company which focuses on the Chinese market, have started trading on London's AIM market.
A number of directors have experience in Irish business, including John McKeon, a founding director of Circle Oil.
Among the non-executive directors is Gerald O'Mahony, who worked for AIB for many years, and Tom Jones, who founded retail chain Bon Expresso.
ISTC share price
A report yesterday said that share units in International Securities Trading Corporation changed hands at €205 on Tuesday. Goodbody Stockbrokers point out that the current unit price is in fact €200.
