Late surge pushes ISEQ back in black

The ISEQ index enjoyed a late surge in afternoon trading today to climb 24.33 to 6.173.53 at the close of business today.

Financial stocks were mixed today. Shares in Allied Irish Bank fell 12c to €14.78 while shares in Bank of Ireland climbed 17c to €12.15.

Anglo Irish Bank shares leaped 40c to €17.80.

Meanwhile Irish Life & Permanent recovered from a tough morning to close at €13.55 today, a fall of just 5c. The company said it would issue a trading statement at midday tomorrow.

Irish Life & Permanent also announced the appointment of former EU Commissioner David Byrne as a non-executive director of the group.

Today Waterford Wedgewood announced the terms of its offer for British china company Royal Doulton. The offer values the whole of the issued share capital of Royal Doulton at about €57.8m.

Shares in Waterford slipped 1c to 8c today.

There was better news for Irish Continental group today. News of a possible breakthrough in the Irish Ferries dispute helped buoy the group's shares, rising 19c to €11.04.

The most traded shares today were CRH, Allied Irish Bank, Anglo Irish Bank, Independent News & Media and Ryanair.