The Iseq index of shares climbed this afternoon as financials recovered some ground.
After a slight slip this morning, the index rebounded to climb 117 points to 4,489 just after 3pm.
The financial stocks were weak in early trade, but managed to recover in the afternoon. Anglo Irish rose 0.6 per cent to €6.15, and after losing 1.3 per cent to €5.88 at 8.30am, Bank of Ireland stock recovered to €5.93 by 2.30pm, a 0.5 per cent loss. FBD Holdings rose almost 0.3 per cent to €16.90.
However, Irish Life & Permanent fell 1.1 per cent to €6.11 this morning, and despite some movement in the stock, remained at that price by early afternoon.
Building firms were hit by a slide in shares this morning, with Kingspan stock down a little over 4 per cent to €6.52 at 8.30am following yesterday's data on UK new construction orders.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics revealed that orders fell 30 per cent year on year in June, following a 28 per cent slump in May. This leaves the sector 13 per cent down so far this year, with the 44 per cent decline in orders for warehouses and the fall of close to 60 per cent in offices of particular concern for the firm.
The stock managed to claw back some ground, to €6.592 at 2.30pm. Grafton Group fell 1.4 per cent to €3.86.
After a slow start this morning following yesterday's weak results from Martin Marietta and a lowered full-year earnings outlook from the firm, CRH gained 2.7 per cent to €17.45.
Elsewhere on the market, Smurfit Kappa was unchanged at €4.29, after slipping slightly this morning ahead of its interim results on August 11th. NCB is predicting second quarter revenues of €1.819 billion, compared to €1.831 billion a year earlier.
Meanwhile shares in Irish Continental were lifted by the acquisition of Channel Island ferry operator Condor Ferries, with the stock rising 0.6 per cent to €16.05.
Ryanair was also up, climbing more than 4 per cent to €2.65.