Mixed day on ISEQ for financial sector

THE ISEQ index added 19.50 points to 3,123.49. The main financials had a mixed day. AIB added 4c to 1.57. Bank of Ireland dipped 1c to 1.29, Irish Life & Permanent fell 10c to €3, while insurance company FBD Holdings was 4c stronger at 6.85.

Lloyds, one of the largest banks in England, expects to return to profit in 2010 after two years of heavy losses, helped by lower than expected bad debts and tight cost controls.

In the construction sector, CRH continued its good run, posting a gain of 30c to 18.88. Elsewhere, Kingspan progressed 11c to 6.11, while Grafton Group declined 16c to close at 3.01. In other news, Paddy Power jumped a further 58c as results continued to favour them at Cheltenham. Aryzta pushed on 13c to 29.73.