ISEQ up 14 points to 6240

The ISEQ index of shares ended the week on a high today, closing up 14.21 at 6240.57.

Shares at eircom fell 7c to €1.84 today, after the company released preliminary results which showed a 2% fall in revenues. Underlying profitability was up, however, thanks to a cost-cutting plan.

Pre-tax profits of €52m for the year to the end of March, compared with an €89m loss in the previous year.

Building group CRH shed 2c to €20.70 today as it emerged it is set to buy a business in France for a sum estimated at close to €100 million.

French building products group, Saint Gobain, announced yesterday that it has agreed to sell a subsidiary, Saint Gobain Stradal, to CRH.

Shares at pharmaceutical giant Elan stayed unchanged at €6.20 today.

In the financials, AIB rose 14c to €16.94, Bank of Ireland fell 10c to €12.42 and Anglo Irish Bank shed 10c to €9.65. Irish Life and Permanent rose 13c to €13.65.