ISEQ down but iTouch losses narrow

The ISEQ finished down 10.48 to close at 5056.60.

iTouch, 50% owned by Independent News and Media, reported better-than-expected results.

Losses narrowed to under £14m (€20.66m) in 2003 from £47.3m (€69m) the year before.

Share in IN&M were down 2c to €2.02.

Financials were mixed with AIB down 10c to €11.96, BoI up 10c to €10.26 and Anglo Irish down 5c to €12.90

Construction stocks saw CRH down 6c to €16.67 while Grafton was up 1c to €5.96.

Pharmaceutical firm Elan said its Antegren drug could be on the market by Q3 this year if it gets regulatory approval. However, it closed down 11c to €13.52.

Bula Resources is to be wound up on the order of the High Court decision.

The order was sought by Computershare Investor Services (Ireland).

The group is owed €200,000 for services provided to the firm over the past six years.

This would have put Bula in a position to refinance itself, but there had been no confirmation that the refinancing had come through.