ISEQ closes year with 2% rise while Nikkei at lowest level since 1980s

IRELAND’s ISEQ index finished the year’s last trading session with a near 2% rise — its second consecutive daily increase — closing at just over 2,900 points.

In all, the Irish market was one of the best performing European stock exchanges over the course of 2011.

Yesterday’s half-day session saw small gains for the likes of Paddy Power, Origin Enterprises, Dragon Oil, Grafton Group, Glanbia, IFG, Kenmare Resources, Greencore and Smurfit Kappa.