Iseq rebounds with substantial gains

The Iseq share index made substantial gains in trading today after yesterday's loss of over 1 per cent wiped €1

The Iseq share index made substantial gains in trading today after yesterday's loss of over 1 per cent wiped €1.1 billion off the exchange's value.

At 3.30pm, the index stood at 8,721.43  up 239.31  points on this morning's opening value.

The four most traded stocks were Kingspan (up 3.45 per cent at €17.370), CRH (up 3.02 per cent at €33.130), C&C (up 2.24 per cent at €6.390), Anglo Irish Bank Plc (up 4.34 per cent at €13.950) and Allied Irish Banks Plc (up 2.51 per cent at €19.440).

Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 index extended gains today after the Bank of England (BoE) chose to hold interest rates and as upbeat results from heavyweights stocks buoyed the market.

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The bank kept rates at a six-year high of 5.75 per cent, as predicted by all 61 analysts polled by Reuters last week.

Japanese stocks rose moderately today after a four-and-a-half month low yesterday.

The Nikkei 225 index rose 113.13 points, or 0.67 per cent, on the Tokyo Stock Exchange to 16,984.11 points.

Banking stocks continued to slump, however, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group shedding 1.65 per cent to 1.19 million yen ($10,000) and Resona Holdings dropping 3.25 per cent to 238,000 yen ($20,000).

Yesterday the Nikkei fell 2.2 per cent to 16,870.98 points, the lowest close since March 16th. That decline came on disappointing earnings from Japan's megabanks and Wall Street's recent retreat.