The main financials were strong in today's trading on the Irish market, most notably AIB which rose 10 cents to close the day at euro 13.06. Bank of Ireland was up 4 cents at euro 9.82. Markets sources said trading in the financials was strong as investors predicted good annual figures. The exception was Irish Life & Permanent which ended up 2 cents at euro 12.00.
The overall index of shares followed a general European wide lethargy remaining relatively unchanged at 5,604.68, up 7.06 points on the day.
Iona shares rose sharply today as investors bought into the company on the back of its record results yesterday. Shares in the hi-tech firm were up some 8 per cent by lunchtime before closing the day at euro 67.00 up 4.00.
Even after announcing a scaling back of its internet subsidiary, worldoffruit.com, Fyffes closed the day's trading at euro 1.07, up 5 cents.
Irish Life & Permanent fell 2 cents to euro 12.00. CRH, like other cyclical stocks, has been trading strongly all week but ended the day 5 cents down at euro 19.03.
Eircom was 5 cents down at lunch but managed to rally to close unchanged on the day at euro 2.53. The stock however remains weak.
Smurfit continued to be strong, up 2 cents to euro 2.10 while Ryanair dropped sharply 20 cents to euro 10.65.
Irish Continental had a strong day ending at euro 7.10 up 40 cents on the day.
Jurys was up and down eventually closing at euro 9.40, 10 cents down.