Market maintains recent advance

THE ISEQ index finished the week on an upward curve yesterday moving up a further 45.02 points to 2,686.14 buoyed by strong gains from Elan and Irish Life & Permanent.

The main financial stocks had another decent day. AIB gained 4c to €2.02, Bank of Ireland added 3c to 95c, Anglo Irish Bank jumped 4c to 28c, Irish Life & Permanent soared 40c to €2.47, while insurance group FBD progressed 43c to €8.88.

In construction, CRH was up 1c at €20. It said it has completed the acquisition of a 26% shareholding in Yatai Cement for €224m, a leading Chinese producer in the north eastern provinces.