ISEQ moves up for first session of 2004

The Dublin index of shares opened its first session of 2004 in positive territory ,up 0.15%, or 7 points to 4928 at 10.30am.

Anglo started the new year keeping up its 2003 upward trend. It rose €0.14 to €12.65.

The two main banks also saw gains, though more subdued. AIB added €0.04 to €12.74 and BOI rose €0.01 to €10.83.

Irish Life & Permanent was up €0.02 to €12.78.

First Active recorded a loss, down €0.02 to €6.16. This is the last day of trading for the bank before the completion of its takeover by Royal Bank of Scotland.

Elsewhere, Jurys Doyle was among the early 2004 gainers, with a €0.25 jump to €9.95.

Drug group Elan was up €0.04 to €5.50. Last week the company sold its European sales and marketing business to Medeus UK for £120m (€170m).

Independent News and Media was up €0.02 to €1.90 in fairly busy trading.

The main bourses in Europe were also up.

The blue chip FTSE in London was up by 0.3% led by the banks and oil stocks. However shares in retailer WHSmith fell by almost 20% following a profit warning after poor festive sales.

Paris was up by just under 0.5% and the German DAX added nearly 1%.

On the currency markets the euro continued its strong position against the dollar trading at $1.26 and 70 and a half pence sterling.