The Irish market was weaker yesterday in line with international markets, closing 35.91 points down at 5,475.16.

It was not a busy day across the board, with activity concentrated in a few sectors. Financials were among the biggest losers on the day as a result of some profit taking. AIB was the exception, benefiting from some switching from Bank of Ireland. It closed stronger on the day, up 10 cents to €11.46 on modest volumes of just more than one million shares traded.

Bank of Ireland gave back most of the gains of the previous day in trading which saw just under two million shares changing hands in Dublin and around six million in London. It closed the day down 34 cents at €10.35.

Among the other financials, Irish Life & Permanent fell back 30 cents to €11.90, while Anglo Irish Bank drifted off a little, eventually finishing 14 cents down at €3.80. There was also some profit taking in CRH which lost 26 cents to close at €17.80.

There was good volume in Smurfit, with more than three million shares changing hands. It advanced six cents to €2.40.

Volumes were thinner among the midcap companies.

Glanbia enjoyed a bit of a run yesterday with just under half of a million shares traded, eventually closing the day two cents stronger at €1.40.

Despite its new marketing announcement that it would give away 300,000 seats, Ryanair dropped back 10 cents to €12.75. DCC continued its upward trend, picking up another 10 cents yesterday to €11.65.

Waterford Wedgwood finished the day slightly slightly off, easing back a cent to €0.82, despite some good two-way trading.