Investors take profits after rebound

THE ISEQ index fell back 39.27 points to 2,709.78 as investors took profits from a 5% rebound in the ISEQ on Wednesday and as markets await further evidence that the EU will move decisively to end the debt crisis.

In the financial sector, Bank of Ireland dipped 1.1c to 8.2c. AIB added 0.3c to 6.8c. Irish Life & Permanent dropped 0.1c to 3.1c, while insurance group FBD Holdings gave up 15c to €6.40.

Shares in CRH slipped 20c to €14.05. The US House of Representatives’ schedule of bills to be debated by year-end does not include a highway bill. At the moment, there is a twin-track approach ongoing in the US to reach agreement on a new multi-year federal highway programme. Grafton Group declined 11.2c to 2.438, while Kingspan weakened 24.2c to close at €6.40.