Positive finish for financials

THE ISEQ index closed 20.80 points higher yesterday at 4278.72 in low volume trading.

Financial shares had a good day with Allied Irish Bank the main gainer, up 24c to 13.24. Bank of Ireland closed up 13c at 11.83, and Irish Life and Permanent nudged 1c ahead to 12.17.

Negative was First Active, down 16c to 4.84 while Anglo Irish Bank was unchanged at 6.04. Overall the financial index closed 97.62 points higher at 8765.66.

Construction stocks moved into positive territory with Grafton Group climbing 14c to 3.83 and Heiton Group adding 8c to 3.08. Also higher were CRH, up 9c to 14.09, and Readymix, up 4c to 1.45. In the food sector Kerry Group shed 5c to 13.45 while Fyffes and Glanbia were both unchanged at 1.33 and 1.30 respectively. Main movers elsewhere included Riverdeep, up 35c to 3.00, DCC, down 46c to 10.04, and paper and packaging group Jefferson Smurfit down 3c to 3.00.