ISEQ up, poor results mean a fall for eircom

The ISEQ closed up a healthy 61.79 points today at 7723.23.

Exploration company Aminex was up 3c (6.5%) at €0.49 following an update on its US drilling activities. Tullow Oil dropped 2c to €4.25, after directorate changes were announced.

Eircom fell 6c (2.8%) as it reported a €17m drop in earnings to €440m in its third-quarter results.

McInerney Holdings closed up 30c (2.6%) at €11.95. CRH gained 16c to close at €26.54, while Grafton lost 8c to €9.35.

Elan made a gain of 25c (2.1%) to €12.20, following reports that the US Food and Drug Administration removed the hold on clinical trial dosing of its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri.

Bank of Ireland closed up 25c (1.7%) at €14.65. The bank today announced increases in its one-year, three-year, four-year and five-year fixed-rate products and a reduction in the two-year fixed rate.

Anglo Irish Bank finished the day up 17c (1.3%) at €12.95.

Allied Irish Bank was the day’s busiest share and closed up 15c at €19.15, while Irish Life and Permanent was also in the black, closing up 14c at €17.79.

Insurer FBD closed up 36c at €37.56.

All-island energy group Viridian was up 10c at €14.80 at the end of the day in which the Northern Ireland Energy Bill was introduced to the House of Commons.