Eircom gets boost as ISEQ plunges

Eircom shares soared nearly 7% to €2.1 today after a report said Swisscom, Switzerland's largest telephone company, had contacted the company about the possibility of making a €3bn bid.

Eircom aside, it was a bad day on today's ISEQ as fears over the health of the United States also sent a shiver through the London market.

The ISEQ index of shares plunged by 59.56 to 6830.05, a fall of nearly 1%.

Dragon Oil recorded one of the biggest losses falling 18c to €2.57. Tullow Oil fell 22c to €3.38.

Construction companies also had a bad day. CRH fell 36c to €22.59, Kingspan fell by 24c to €10.56 and Grafton fell by 9c to €8.36.

The financials all recorded losses on today's ISEQ. AIB fell 15c to €17.85, Bank of Ireland 15c to €13.10, Anglo Irish Bank fell 16c to 11.49 and Irish Life and Permanent fell 9c to €15.03.