SHARE prices closed sharply lower yesterday after recovering most of their early - and spectacular losses triggered by remarks from Federal Reserve chairman Mr Alan Greenspan. The Dow at one point had given up 146 points.

The SP 500 index closed down 4.78 at 739.60, the NYSE composite was off 2.61 at 390.14, the NASDAQ composite lost 12.43 to finish at 1,287.69 and the Amex composite gave up 5.20 to end the week at 664.19.

The Dow plummeted in early morning trading in reaction to a suggestion from Mr Greenspan late on Thursday that "irrational exuberance" in the US market might have driven stocks too high.