Iseq: 6,462.92 (+72.93) Settlement date: May 12thA STRONG performance from Anglo Irish Bank helped push the Iseq into positive territory yesterday, with the market eventually closing around 1 per cent - or 73 points - ahead at 6,463 points.

In a positive trading statement, Anglo reported a 17 per cent rise in underlying pre-tax profits to €647 million for the fiscal half ending March 31st. It also said net income increased to €548 million, or 72 cents a share, compared with €462 million, or 62.9 cents, a year earlier. By close of business, the bank had added 47 cent to its share price to reach €9.67 with a strong volume of 7 million shares traded.

The other financials put in a strong performance on the back of Anglo's statement although volumes were generally light. AIB was just over 1 per cent stronger at €14. Bank of Ireland tacked on 17 cent to €9.17, while Irish Life Permanent closed 1 cent up at €10.91.

In other corporate news, construction giant CRH at its AGM warned of challenging markets in the year ahead and said profitability in the first four months of this year was behind the figure for the same period last year.

Nevertheless, the stock closed the day marginally stronger as it picked up 6 cent to €24.07 although volumes were relatively light at 1.8 million.

Other construction stocks also put in a good day.

McInerney Holdings was 6 cent stronger at €0.96, while Kingspan advanced 1.2 per cent to €7.82. However, Grafton closed the day a bit softer, down just under 1 per cent to €5.41 on decent volumes.

Elsewhere, Smurfit attracted the interest of a number of buyers which saw the stock pick up 19 cents to €8.37 as around 1 million shares were traded, while Ryanair continued to find itself under pressure with 8 million shares traded as it slipped back 1 cent to €2.96.