ISEQ closes in the black

The ISEQ index of Irish shares finished in the black today, up 19.12 points to 7545.25.

Financial stocks had a mixed day. Irish Life and Permanent saw the highest gains, up 23c to €17.03. Bank of Ireland was up 7c to €13.64. Bank of Ireland Life today announced an increase of 27% in its new business sales for 2005.

AIB rose 2c to €18.28, while Anglo Irish Bank reversed the trend, down 7c to €13.03.

Drinks and snacks group C&C rose 15c to €5.85.

Building materials company CRH rose 18c to €25.80. The headline Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers' Index showed today that construction activity in Ireland rose sharply again in December, as further gains in new business were made by a number of firms.