Poor day for financials sees ISEQ slide 84.77

The ISEQ index dropped 84.77 today to close the day at 5,266.74, with financial stocks on the slide.

Allied Irish Bank today announced pre-tax profits of €699m for the first half of this year, a 10% increase on the figures for the same period last year. Despite these impressive figures shares in the bank slipped 5c to €12.40.

Elsewhere Bank of Ireland shares dropped 15c to €10.61. Anglo Irish Bank shares dropped 10c to close at €13.

Irish Life & Permanent shares slipped 5c to €12.40. The Chairman of IL&P Gillian Bowler today announced the appointment of Breffni Byrne as a non-executive director of the group.

Meanwhile shares in Ryanair dropped 8c to €4.58 today. Ryanair has announced eight new routes linking eight European countries today, commencing on September 20.

Elsewhere building group CRH fell 2c to €18.08 and it was a bad day for Elan. The pharmaceutical giant saw its share price slip €1.85 to €15.90.

The main movers today were Bank of Ireland, Anglo-Irish Bank, Allied Irish Bank, Elan and Kerry.