TRADING was pretty firm with a good two-way business for the major shares. But investors seemed prepared push up the prices for some of the smaller companies. Dealers said the steam has gone out of the banks.

AIB first added 2p to 338p but then retreated to 335p, a 1p fall on the day. Bank of Ireland was even less lively; it merely shed 3p to 464p and that was it.

One of the main features was Smurfit which spurted ahead in a number of deals from 168p to 173 1/2p. At the end the price was clipped slightly to finish at 171p, representing a 3p gain on the day. Analysts noted the announcement by International Paper in the US of a $50 a ton increase in the price of linerboard from June 1st which, if held firm, would help Smurfit's US affiliate JS Corp. But some dealers were sceptical and wondered if the price would hold.

One dealer said the Smurfit share price rise may have been due to a feeling that Smurfit may haven bottomed out. The price is still well below the high of 203p recorded 12 months ago.

CRH saw good two-way traffic. First it weakened 10p to 580p. Thinking it had a trend, it weakened further in a number of deals to 575p. But then it decided to jump by 9p to 584p before weakening to close at 580p.

Boxmore International continued on the acquisition road with the announced negotiations with Glaxo to takeover the British company's pharmaceutical packaging side. The market gave it the thumbs up and the share breezily moved ahead by 6p to 532p.

Dana Petroleum, which yesterday announced an increase in the pre-tax loss from £247,938 to £678,006, shed 1/4p to 8p. Clondalkin was stronger with a 4p rise to 445p.

DCC went 5p backwards to 245p, Heiton gained 2p to 98p and IFG was 1p better at 25p.

Following its marginally better results, Tullow improved 2p to 83p. Woodchester was 5p weaker at 185p.