Market Report: Trade was buoyant on the Iseq yesterday as the market's largest players edged slightly ahead.

The best of the big names on the day was AIB, where shares finished 22 cent higher at €18.05, despite going ex-dividend by 23 cent. The stock was boosted by a report from Merrill Lynch, which was bullish on AIB's prospects for 2006. The report included a price target of €20.30.

Bank of Ireland also had a good day, climbing by eight cent to €13.23. Dealers reported some switching activity from AIB into its main rival as volume in Bank of Ireland approached five million shares.

The remaining financials were also stronger, albeit on lower volume. Anglo Irish added three cent to close at €11.23, while Irish Life & Permanent rose by seven cent to €14.57.

AIB wasn't the only stock to go ex-dividend yesterday, with Qualceram moving "ex-div" by 3.75 cent and Viridian by 25.34p sterling. Qualceram held up well, closing unchanged at €1.25. Viridian meanwhile dropped by 22p to close at 766.5p in London.

Still in London, Tullow strengthened again as oil prices continued to surge. The stock added 2p to finish at 209.5p.

Ryanair, which has the benefit of some oil hedging in place, was unchanged at €6.55 in Dublin.

Elan gave up some ground as profit takers reacted to this week's strong price gains. The stock fell by 15 cent to €7.15.

Jurys held strong at €17.40 amid good two-way trade. Merrion Stockbrokers values the stock at €18.50, excluding any deferred tax liability. Davy meanwhile currently has no official valuation on the stock.

DCC shed some of its recent gains by falling 13 cent to €18.80. IFG also moved lower, finishing two cent weaker at €1.42.

CRH was solid, gaining 17 cent to close at €22.92 on decent volume.

At the other end of the scale, the market's newest arrival, Fitzwilliam Capital, finished at 93 cent after its first day of trading on the Stock Exchange's IEX market for smaller companies.

 Settlement Day: August 15