CONTINUED growth by the industrials helped to push the Irish market to another new high, although financial shares were weak and meant that the ISEQ only added a couple of points.

The results season is now in full swing and Avonmore did not disappoint the market with a profits rise that was just ahead of market forecasts. Confident statements about current trading and plans for major expansion through acquisition fuelled interest in the shares, which closed up 5p on 145p.

Kerry and CRH both report full year results today and nobody in the market expects any unpleasant surprises from two of the blue chips. CRH was again bid up strongly in London and closed up 5p on a new high of 542p, while Kerry also hit a new high of 530p, a rise of 5p on the day.

Both of these stocks will probably move further ahead as long as the results do not produce any unexpected surprises. Smurfit was 2p lower on 151p.

Financials were weak, however, with AIB 2p lower on 330p although Bank of Ireland was up Vip on 442p, from a Friday late trade of 441.75p. Irish Permanent was down 7p on 385p but this was due to the payment of a 7p interim dividend. In effect, Irish Permanent shares were unchanged on the day.

Second liners were mixed - James Crean was up 7p on 232p while Fyffes lost most of Friday's gains and closed down 3p on, 105p. Greencore shares split in two and closed on 290p, an effective rise of 3 1/2p on the day while Independent closed up 5p on a new high of 435p.

Woodchester was 3p easier on 187p ahead of results - the company has disclosed that it bought 291,000 Lookers shares last Friday, to take its stake to 28.1 per cent.

Gilts had a quiet day ahead of the auction of £75 million of long dated stock today by the NTMA.