The Iseq is trading up almost 2 per cent today on the back of a strong performance from index heavyweight CRH.
Construction and materials shares have been lifted internationally today by expectations that an economic recovery will spur demand. The OECD said it expects the economies of its 33 members to grow by between 2 and 2.5 per cent next year.
CRH was up €0.85 on the day, or 6.7 per cent, to €13.50 at 1pm.
Smurfit Kappa also added 21 cent this morning, rising to €8.20.
As of 1pm, the Dublin market was up almost 52 points on the day at 2,746.07.
Bank of Ireland and Irish Life and Permanent are both in positive territory, up about half of 1 per cent, today.
Irish Life and Permanent has offered to give the Government a potential 10 per cent stake in the company in return for accepting an offer to merge its banking division with EBS building society.
However, AIB has shed 2 per cent and fallen to €0.32. The banks subordinated bonds dropped the most in six months as traders questioned how it will raise new capital.
In London, the benchmark FTSE 100 Index added 14.47, or 0.3 per cent, rising to 5,771.9 as of 12.34pm. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.4 per cent to 268.54, a fifth straight advance for the longest winning streak since July.
