ISEQ closes week on a high

The ISEQ rallied this afternoon to close the week on a positive note, rising 33.8 points to end the day at 6,797.94.

Shares in Allied Irish Bank climbed 25c to €18.20 today. The bank today announced two new appointments to its senior management team. John O’Donnell has been appointed Group Finance Director while Robbie Henneberry has been appointed Managing Director Designate of AIB Group.

Shares in Bank of Ireland climbed 5c to €13.83 and Anglo Irish Bank climbed 13c to €11.30.

Irish Life & Permanent shares climbed 8c to €14.80 today. Permanent tsb today announced it is to offer a 100% mortgage for first time buyers.

DCC was unchanged this morning at €18.25 as it confirmed the acquisition of Pilton today. DCC shares had surged considerably yesterday.

Elsewhere shares in construction giant CRH jumped 20c to €23.14 today. CRH today bought a builders' merchant group in Austria.

Pharmaceutical group Elan saw shares slip 15c to €6.45.

Shares in FBD jumped 60c to €29.50. Hotel group Jurys Doyle saw shares climb 15c to €15.60.

Among the fallers today were technology group ICON, which fell 55c to €31.90.

Communications giant eircom, which has been linked with a deal for mobile operator Meteor, climbed 4c to €1.87. Smart Telecom pulled out of the race for Meteor yesterday.

The most traded shares today were CRH, AIB, Anglo Irish Bank, Bank of Ireland and eircom.