The stock market closed up 47.3 points at 5,830.94 following a featureless day's trading. The rise was driven by international markets rather than any major news at home.
Trading focused on financials, with the two big banks advancing on reasonable volumes. AIB finished up 23 cents at #12.95 in a day which saw 1.9 million of its shares traded. Bank of Ireland marked time following a strong close on Friday. It rose two cents to #9.02 with 1.3 million shares traded.
Anglo Irish Bank ended the day up six cents at #2.76. However, First Active retreated five cents to close at #2.07.
With the telecoms markets stronger throughout Europe, Eircom saw its share price finishing five cents up at #3.17. ITG climbed 45 cents to #7.30.
Ryanair jumped 13 cents to #10.65. Also finishing up was Arnotts which ended the day 20 cents stronger at #6.70.
CRH eased back another two cents to #16.13 as sectoral sentiment remained weak. DCC dropped back 12 cents at #11.28 following strong gains in the past week on the back of decent results.
Also dropping back were Green Property, down 10 cents to #6.80, and United Drug, which ended the day at #8.90, a drop of 20 cents. Elsewhere, small stocks continued their drift.
As the market closed, Irish tech stocks were enjoying mixed fortunes on the Nasdaq. Trintech surged ahead by just under 10 per cent to trade at $9.87-1/2. Iona was down 30 per cent at $62.93-3/4. Baltimore also dropped back, trading down 4.4 per cent at $10.87-1/2. On the New York Stock Exchange, Elan was trading up 2.46 per cent at $52.
