Settlement Day: September 19th:

Financial stocks led the charge in Dublin yesterday, with the two main banks posting solid gains after attracting healthy interest. Bank of Ireland was the biggest outperformer, climbing 21 cents to €10.55 as 4.6 million shares were traded. The bank, which is due to issue a trading statement next Tuesday, has been treated to an upgrade by Morgan Stanley.

Close to 3.5 million shares changed hands in Allied Irish, which finished 24 cents stronger at 12.98 after touching 13 at one stage.

Irish Life & Permanent added five cents to close at €11.40, while First Active ended 16 cents higher at 4.90 after attracting the attention of one large buyer. Anglo Irish climbed 15 cents to 9.35 in advance of inclusion in the FTSE All-World Index on Friday. DCC, which is exiting the index, shed 20 cents to close at €10.30. Independent News & Media, which will also be excluded, dropped 2 cents to 1.60 in robust volume.

Elsewhere, Grafton rose by seven cents to 4.97 as investors reacted to a number of broker upgrades. The company is reportedly seeking expansion within its recently-acquired British merchanting chain, Jackson.

Elan, which will post second-quarter figures today, finished 17 cents higher at 5.52. Fellow pharmaceutical Galen was also stronger, adding 20 cents to close at €9.45.

Some half a million shares changed hands in typically-quiet Dragon Oil, which is due to report interim numbers before the end of the month. Analysts said the stock should benefit from a stepping-up in offshore gas development in the Caspian Sea. Dragon closed one cent higher at 46 cents last night.