Dublin Report: The Iseq gained nearly 1 per cent yesterday, lifted by a strong performance from most of the leading stocks, although dealers said volumes were light.

In the banking sector, AIB added 20 cent, or 1.2 per cent, to €16.50 while Bank of Ireland gained 15 cent, also around 1.2 per cent, to €12.60. Anglo Irish Bank moved ahead by nine cent, or close to 1 per cent, to €10.04.

CRH also had a good day, finishing 47 cent, or 2.3 per cent, higher at €21.02 as Morgan Stanley retained its "overweight" recommendation on the stock and upped its share price target to €23.55 from €21.90.

Other construction-related stocks also found favour with investors as Grafton closed 23 cent, or 2.6 per cent, higher at €8.95, helped by strong results from British heating and plumbing group BSS.

Kingspan had a good run, adding 30 cent, or 3.4 per cent, to end the day at €9.15.

Ryanair was another gainer, finishing 11 cent or 1.8 per cent higher at €6.34 as its chief executive, Michael O'Leary, said that summer bookings were going well and he was comfortable with an expected €246 million net profit for the year just ended.

Other movers yesterday included drink and snacks group C&C, which gained seven cent or 2.2 per cent, to €3.25.

Close to three million shares in United Drug changed hands as the stock finished four cent higher at €3.51.

Among the losers were Elan, which lost 23 cent or 4 per cent of its value in Dublin to €5.37.

Jurys Doyle also closed lower, shedding 40 cent, or 2.6 per cent, to €15.15 as investors waited for the next move in the current takeover situation.

Greencore lost a cent to €3.19 ahead of first-half results on Wednesday and as British food group Uniq reported a drop in full-year profits.

Household products and cosmetics group IWP lost a further one cent, or 6.7 per cent, to €0.07 in the wake of last week's profit warning.