Technology shares took the limelight yesterday as the market responded to the phenomenal early surge on Nasdaq on the back of the bumper results from Microsoft.
With the main Nasdaq index up 7 per cent by the time Dublin closed and London's techMARK up more than 3 per cent, all of the Irish technology stocks bounded ahead.
Most of the stocks which suffered recent losses recovered strongly with Iona recovering from Wednesday's 11 per cent fall with an 8 per cent recovery by midday in New York when the share was trading more than $5 higher above $67 1/2.
Baltimore also recovered and dealt up 31p in London to £4.73 despite its issued capital being increased by more than 20 per cent following yesterday's placing.
Parthus - understood to be lining up a $400 million placing - closed just short of its all-time high with a 30p gain to £3.20 and maintained that surge on Nasdaq where the share was trading almost 10 per cent higher above $19.
Other technology stocks to make strong gains included Smartforce, after excellent third quarter figures, and Trintech.
By comparison, the domestic market was pretty dull with low turnover the order of the day. Bank of Ireland was the best performer, gaining 30 cents to €8.31 in turnover of 1.5 million shares while AIB drifted three cents lower to €11.55.
The big buying of Dunloe came to a halt and the shares drifted four cents to 46 cents, Eircom added three cents to €2.59 while Fyffes lost another three cents to 94 cents.
