A FINANCIAL markets consultant has told the High Court that information available to DCC plc chief executive Jim Flavin prior to the €106 million sale of the DCC stake in Fyffes in early 2000 would not have materially affected the price of the shares had it been generally available at that time.

The ISEQ slipped 2.33c to close today at 6,2575.95, on another tough day for pharmaceutical giant Elan.

The ISEQ fell slightly in morning trade, by 1.44 points to 6276.84 on a busy news morning on the index.

A DISPUTE broke out at the High Court yesterday over whether lawyers for Fyffes plc should have produced certain documents which, DCC claims, are crucial to and supportive of its denial of allegations that it breached insider dealing provisions of the Companies Act in relation to a €106 million sale of the DCC stake in Fyffes in February 2000.

FYFFES’ chairman Carl McCann feared Jim Flavin was gaining “creeping control” of the fruit importers in 1998.

FRUIT importer Fyffes has splashed out nearly €30 million to buy one of Sweden's biggest fruit distributors.