Iseq: 2,968.17 (+8.38) Settlement date: July 12thTHE ISEQ rose 0.3 per cent on a day when European stocks advanced to a one-month high, buoyed by the European Central Bank's easing of collateral rules to help Portugal access emergency funds.

A report showing that US companies added 157,000 workers to their payrolls last month also boosted sentiment among equities investors.

On the Iseq, building materials group CRH advanced 1 per cent to €14.90, while Bank of Ireland bounced back from a weak Wednesday to finish up 5.5 per cent at 12 cent.

Ryanair closed down 2 cent at €3.45, though it had traded at lower levels earlier in the day.

Aer Lingus was also under pressure as a result of the publication of weaker air traffic figures for June, though its share price closed rather flat at 72 cent. The airline carried 925,000 passengers last month, down 1.7 per cent on the same month last year, while load factors, the percentage of seats filled on its flights, dropped.

Four directors of Petroneft and one senior executive acquired shares in the company yesterday, with their investment contributing to a further recovery in the share price. The oil exploration company saw its stock plummet recently, but it closed up 6.7 per cent at 36p on the London Stock Exchange, where it has its main listing. The stock also benefited from news that Russia is planning tax legislation that will be appealing for smaller exploration companies.

Dealers noted that some stocks that had enjoyed decent gains in their share prices of late ran out of steam yesterday. Food group Kerry fell 2.6 per cent to €29.23, while cider manufacturer CC finished at €3.62, down 1.4 per cent.

On the bond markets the yield on 10-year Irish bonds closed at 12.72 per cent, up 29 basis points on the day before.