Markets update: Banks hit by Wall Street worries

Heavy losses on Wall Street triggered a sell-off on the ISEQ as financial stocks came under pressure

Heavy losses on Wall Street triggered a sell-off on the ISEQ as financial stocks came under pressure. AIB and Bank of Ireland led the fallers after the US banking sector came under scrutiny after Bank of America's shares were suspended.

AIB lost 35 cents to euro 13.20, Bank of Ireland slid 50 cenmts to euro 10.02 and IL&P was 12 cents weaker at 12.60. Anglo Irish bucked the downward trend gaining 3 cents to euro 3.18. Anglo announced earlier today that it would raise euro 14.2 million in a secondary share placing.

The renewed weakness in the US also dragged down Nasdaq-quoted stocks such as Elan, down 60 cents at 47.90 and Iona, down euro 5.0 at 57.0.

Eircom held on to yesterday's gains however, adding another 6 cents to euro 2.61.