A pretty dull day on the domestic market with little activity of note among the leaders, although there was some sizeable trading in selected second-line stocks. There was little stimulus coming from overseas markets, although a weaker Nasdaq ahead of Intel's results left Irish technology stocks generally weaker.

Some of the biggest trading was in packaging group Barlo which is completing its acquisition of Athlone Extrusions. Barlo jumped five cents to #1.06 in volume of 2.2 million while almost 2.5 million Green shares traded as the property group edged ahead five cents to #7.20.

Fyffes was another stock to trade more than one million shares and the stock closed two cents firmer on #1.04. Irish Continental benefited from its better-than-expected full-year results and was 48 cents higher on #6.60 although that gain only involved 40,000 shares.

Among the large capitalisation stocks, CRH was 10 cents higher on #18.70 after unveiling its latest batch of small acquisitions, AIB was three cents down on #13, while Bank of Ireland was six cents higher on #9.89. With telecom stocks, including Vodafone, weaker, Eircom lost six cents to #2.42 while Greencore was five cents firmer on #3.02 as it declared its Hazlewood bid unconditional with over 92 per cent of the shares in its pocket. Smurfit was unchanged on #2.05 in volume of 2.6 million shares. The biggest gain was by exploration minnow Ovoca which jumped 11 cents to #0.31.

Technology shares were weaker as expected weaker results from technology blue-chips weighed on the market. Baltimore fell 36p to 325p sterling and Parthus lost 8p to 170p sterling.