Financials have positive day

THE ISEQ performed strongly yesterday gaining 64.06 points from Monday's tally to close at 4310.71 points.

The financial sector's two leading banks, Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland, advanced significantly. Bank of Ireland rose 55c to €11.40 ahead of its first-half earnings report on Thursday. Allied Irish Bank followed suit by gaining 18c to €14.05.

Other financials to end the day in positive territory were Irish Life & Permanent adding 5c to €12.20 and IFG gaining a cent to 56c. Anglo Irish remained unchanged at €6.55. The Financial Index of shares closed 213.07 points higher to 8884.47 points.

Riverdeep Group Plc, the Dublin based maker of educational software, said yesterday that CEO Barry O'Callaghan may offer to buy out the company. Riverdeep Group Plc fell 12c to €1.20. Alphyra, another company whose management may execute a buy out continued to rise by adding 6c to €2.07.