Ryanair shares 26c higher at €6.55

THE Dublin market rose for the first day in six yesterday, finishing 16.98 points to the good at 4637.14.

Shares in Ryanair were 26c higher at 6.55. Virgin’s Richard Branson blamed what it claimed was illegal aid given to the budget carrier in Belgium for a fall in its own profits.

The financials slipped overall. Bank of Ireland shed 2c, despite having resumed its share buyback programme. The company spent €3.6m on 350,000 shares on Friday. Irish Life & Permanent dropped 17c while First Active fell 12c to 6.02. AIB rose 4c to 12.16.

Construction stocks were quiet, with CRH the main mover. Shares in the group jumped to 15.20. Elsewhere, IAWS was unchanged at 9.32 on reports that they are battling for control of Hibernia Foods.