Iseq slips but Paddy Powers on

Paddy Power was one of the few shares to close today positively on the Iseq, with the Iseq closing at 5,321.85 down 95.42 points.

Shares in Paddy Power climbed €0.10 to €9.45.

It wasn't a great day for the financials. Shares in Bank of Ireland closed at 10.12, down 0.16 while Allied Irish Banks, which held its AGM yesterday, closed at €12.04, down €0.07 today.

Irish Life and Permanent closed at €13.05, down €0.37.

CRH closed down €0.02 to €17.78 from a high of €18 earlier in the day.

Elan closed at €19.04, down €0.96.

Meanwhile London shares ended the week on a low note today amid jitters about possible interest rate hikes in the UK and the United States.

The FTSE 100 Index fell below the 4500 level to stand 29.8 points down at 4489.7 by the end of the session.

In Frankfurt the DAX was down 23.70 to close at 3985.21 while the CAC 40 ended the day on 3674.28, down 15.11.

The Down Jones is currently riding high at 10.301.50, up 29.23, while the Nasdaq is down 18.70 at 1940.08.