Bank stocks boost for market

THE ISEQ index began the week on a positive note moving up 33.06 points to 2,606.04.

A strong performance by the main banking stocks helped push the index forward. In the US, influential bank analyst Meredith Whitney gave bullish comments on financial stocks, giving hopes that corporate quarterly results may be better than expected.

In the financial sector, AIB progressed 12.5c to €1.37, Bank of Ireland advanced 16c to €1.40, Irish Life & Permanent added 11c to €2.74, while insurance company FBD Holdings added 9c to €6.50.