Small listed firms’ share price gains put big groups to shame

AT this time of year we normally review the excellent performance of Ireland’s largest public companies and the dismal performance of the smallest.

However, 2003 has proved to be different, with the small listed companies recording higher share price gains than the largest.

The reliable Anglo Irish Bank was the only one of the top 10 largest companies to record an all-time high in 2003, but even its growth was overshadowed by the surge in mining and exploration company share prices.