Dublin Report: Trading picked up in Dublin yesterday, with speculation on what is likely to happen at Jurys Doyle and the impact of rising oil prices on the forthcoming results season providing the focus for investors.

Dealers reported that a buyer emerged early to pick up Jurys Doyle stock but that this purchasing spree tailed off during the morning. The shares continued to trade heavily, with about 1.5 million changing hands and good two-way interest.

Jurys Doyle shares ended at €17, down 85 cent, declining in the wake of the board's most recent rebuff of the Precinct Consortium's approach.

Eircom issued first-quarter figures, although some details had emerged in recent weeks and provided little surprise. Some disappointment with its performance in terms of signing up new customers for broadband technology was said to have prompted some selling in the market. Trading volumes were reasonably large during the day and the shares ended at €1.75, down 5 cent.

CRH remained in the doldrums with its international peers also struggling and expectations that higher oil prices will be seen to have hit parts of the group's operations when it announced results on Tuesday. The shares ended at €21.93, down 17 cent.

Ryanair was also down, with the shares shedding 10 cent to €6.65. Dealers linked the decline to oil price inflation.

Financial stocks remained weak with poor trading volumes and the sector's depressed performance globally hampering progress. AIB closed 2 cent lower at €17.50 while Bank of Ireland continued to struggle with the stock drifting 7 cent to €12.78. Anglo Irish Bank enjoyed a better run, ending the session 4 cent higher at €11.02.

Irish Life & Permanent announced revised earnings figures to reflect the adoption of new European accounting standards. The reduced profit figures for 2004 had been previously factored in. Its shares were 5 cent weaker at €14.75.