Financials boost market

THE ISEQ added 63.83 points yesterday to 4288.19 following a late surge on Wall Street on Monday night.

The financial sector provided the main leg of support to the market. Allied Irish Bank added 26c to 12.83 while Bank of Ireland was 18c firmer at 11.28. Anglo Irish Bank added 3c to 6.28. Irish Life and Permanent added 7c to 12.35. Weaker were First Active 19c lower at 4.68. Overall the ISEQ Financial index finished 124.77 points higher at 8529.18.

Kingspan added 15c to 2.05 after it posted a 25% drop in pre-tax profits for the first half of the year. Also higher in the construction and building materials sector was CRH adding 34c to 14.84. Grafton Group were 5c weaker at 3.90.