Market report: Trading on the Dublin market was fairly uneventful with a handful of stocks at the centre of the day's activities. The ISEQ index closed marginally higher with little corporate news to provide direction.
Ryanair enjoyed another good run with the stock trading up to €6, some 10 cents ahead.
Just over 7 million of the airlines shares changed hands in Dublin and London, with some investors selling on concerns about its exposure to higher oil prices. Others were buying the stock, looking ahead to Ryanair delivering good third quarter earnings on Monday. News that it was opening six new routes out of Dublin was also positively received.
Anglo Irish Bank, which took a hammering on Wednesday on foot of a large sell order managed to recover yesterday. The shares rose 25 cents to end at €18.95.
The bank will hold its annual general meeting in Dublin today and is expected to give some details about current trading. It will mark the end of Mr Seán FitzPatrick's terms as chief executive with Mr David Drumm set to take over next month.
Otherwise, C&C put in a good performance with the shares moving 7 cents ahead to €3.28.
Trading in CRH was relatively light, but the stock benefited from good figures from its US peers, including Lafarge. CRH shares closed at €20.74, up 9 cents.
Elan was stronger with the stock ending the session up by more than 2 per cent or 44 cents to €20.58.
Interest in the banks was fairly muted. AIB ended the day down 2 cents at €15.45. Bank of Ireland managed to move in the other direction with the shares gaining 4 cents to €12.50. Irish Life & Permanent was weaker, ending at €14.17, down 8 cents.
Fyffes gained one cent to €2.06 while DCC was down 5 cents to €17.30.
Independent New & Media shed 2 cents to €2.28. United Drug shares rose by 8 cents to €3.80, Unidare was up 5 cents to €3.20, Paddy Power shares closed at €11.80, up 15 cents.
Settlement Date: February 1st
