US markets recovered all of Monday's losses yesterday, with technology stocks rising in afternoon trading as investors saw bargains in Internet, software and computer shares and bet on the next batch of corporate earnings.
The Nasdaq finished 6.57 per cent up on the session as concerns about the future of Microsoft eased. The Dow Jones rose 2.02 per cent.
Of the Irish shares quoted on the Nasdaq, Baltimore performed best, jumping more than 15 per cent to $93.50, up $12.31 1/4. Riverdeep, which had escaped Monday's fall, lost 25 cents to $21.
SmartForce benefited from improved market sentiment, gaining $4.811/4 to $43, a rise of 12.6 per cent. Iona shares moved ahead $3.95 to a shade over $56, up just over 7.5 per cent.
At home, the ISEQ rose less than 1 per cent as uncertainty and low volumes held the leaders back. In London, the FTSE 100 shook off the post-Easter holiday blues to register its fourth straight day on the up, bolstered by strength in oil giant BP Amoco and headline banking stocks. The British benchmark ended up 41.8 points, or 0.67 per cent, at 6,283.0.
In Europe, the revival in US tech stocks saw the Frankfurt DAX close 1.71 per cent firmer at 7,280.51, while, in Paris, good news on the corporate front helped the CAC-40 blue-chip index close 1.38 per cent ahead.
