Iseq: 2,163.06 (-19.30) at 2.30 pm:The Iseq followed other European markets down today led by Elan and Paddy Power.
Shares in Athlone-based drug firm Elan were down 46c to €5.18 losing much of the gains it achieved this week after news emerged of a possible treatment for a potentially fatal side effect of its multiple sclerosis therapy, Tysabri.
Paddy Power meanwhile was down 30c at €12.05 while Kerry Group shares declined 20c to €14.15.
On a lacklustre day in which volumes traded remained low, there was little to get excited about.
Banks put in a mixed performance with Bank of Ireland, which is meeting today to vote on the Government's recapitalisation plan down 1c at €0.51. AIB was down 2c at E0.62 while Irish Life & Permanent was up 6c at €1.21.
Among construction-related shares, heavyweight CRH was flat at €16.20 while McInerney gained 1c to €0.09 and Kingspan was down 6c to €2.72.
European shares were down around midday as banks and energy majors fell, offsetting gains made by the automobile sector.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares was down 0.3 per cent at 743.04 points after trading in a range of 740.04-747.30 points.
The benchmark index is down about 10.6 percent in 2009, but has risen 15.3 per cent since reaching a floor on March 9th, and is on track to record gains for a third straight week.
Across Europe, the FTSE 100 index was flat, Germany's DAX was down 0.5 per cent and France's CAC 40 was down 0.6 per cent.
