ISEQ companies see dramatic losses

The ISEQ index of Irish shares dramatically shed 190.88 points in morning trade today and is currently trading at 7388.71.

There were losses across the board with only two companies - pharmaceutical giant Elan and travel software company Datalex - seeing rises. Each was up a meagre 1c to €13.32 and 82c respectively.

That was enough to set them apart from all other ISEQ-listed companies however, who watched their share values plummet or, at best, struggle to stay level.

In the construction sector, CRH saw 55c fall off its share price, which dived to €25.70. Grafton lost 26c to €9.84 while Kingspan is down 34c to €12.57.

The picture was no rosier for financial stocks. Bank of Ireland fared best, down 5c to €14.10. AIB lost 20c to €17.85 while Anglo Irish bank was down 34c to €12.21. Irish Life and Permanent was down 39c to €18.45.

Today's losses were set against an international background of concerns about inflation and interest rates which have brought turbulence to markets around the world.