Financials mixed, but ISEQ rises

THE Dublin market finished up yesterday despite a mixed day for the financial stocks. The ISEQ index closed up 23.69 points at 2,182.36.

AIB and Irish Life and Permanent lost 1c and 3.6c respectively to 64c and e1.14. Bank of Ireland managed to make ground adding 3c to 52c. Specialty finance firm IFG posted full year results for 2008 which were slightly ahead of expectations, and the share price rose 3c to 45c.

In construction, CRH slid 8c to 16.20. Sector peers Kingspan and Grafton Group added 2c and 9.5c to e2.78 and e1.695 respectively.