Market Report

Strength among the second-liners compensated for another weak performance from the financials yesterday, with the stock exchange as a whole closing virtually unchanged last night on reasonably quiet trade.

Settlement Day: October 22nd

The main exception to this was Waterford Wedgwood, where close to 7.5 million shares changed hands in several large blocs. Most of the business came at 25 cents, with the stock then climbing back to close unchanged at 27 cents. The market continues to await an update on an expected bond issue at the firm.

Fyffes was also busy, with the heavy trade noted earlier in the week repeated yesterday. The stock fell two cents to €1.56 on volume of 2.8 million shares.

In the financials, AIB shed nine cents to close at €12.36 on volume of 2.2 million shares. The bank confirmed that it had bought back two million shares on Thursday at an average price of €12.55. AIB has repurchased 3.4 million shares since the start of the month.

Bank of Ireland closed four cents weaker at €10.51 last night. Anglo Irish Bank fell back for the first time in a week, with a decline of six cents to €9.94. Irish Life & Permanent bucked the sectoral trend by rising three cents to €11.70.

In smaller stocks, Paddy Power finished 15 cents weaker at €6.10 on low volume as brokers wondered how its foray into tax-free betting in some locations would affect the bottom line.

The biggest winner in percentage terms was IFG, which rose 10 cents, or almost 10 per cent, to €1.15.

Other notable gains came from Viridian Group, which climbed 32 cents to €7.82, and Jurys Doyle, which added 25 cents to finish at €10.35. Kerry Group closed at €15, up 15 cents.