Market down but peers advance

The ISEQ index dropped slightly yesterday, bucking the trend seen on most European bourses.

The Irish market was off 10.05 points at 3,181.26 as Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced that a referendum will be held to ratify the recently agreed Treaty on Stability, Co-ordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union.

Banking shares were mixed, with AIB and IL&P making slight gains. The former was up 0.1c at 12.3c, while the latter was 0.3c better off at 4.8c. Bank of Ireland declined 0.3c to 13.5c. Insurer FBD Holdings remained steady at €8.65.