Banking stocks on the up as ISEQ increses

The ISEQ index of Irish shares closed at 2,688.93 this evening.

This represented an increase of 66.88 points, or 2.55%.

All of the major banks were up - AIB 8c to €1.04, Bank of Ireland 17c to 94c and Irish Life & Permanent 17c to €2.10.

Other sectors also saw large gains, with no major fallers.

Paddy Power was up 87c to €14.80, Irish Continental rose 40c to €12, Grafton Group increased 24c to €2.92, Elan added 39c to €4.96 and Tullow Oil finished 25c higher at €9.25.