Baltimore is the undisputed darling of Sharetrack 100 portfolios. It ranks as the number one choice for core and tradable holdings in both the main and student competitions.

Nearly 9,000 entries were received for the Sharetrack 100 competition run by The Irish Times and Goodbody Stockbrokers. This figure includes almost 500 student entrants.

Baltimore's share price has risen dramatically since November but has experienced some sharp downward movement before climbing again. Sharetrack 100 players appear to be banking on the company's upward swings to carry them to the top of the competition tables.

Baltimore's popularity as a core stock in the main contest is nearly double that of closest favourite AIB, with 1,617 portfolios selecting the Internet technology firm compared to 718 plumping for the bank. The bank has witnessed dramatic losses in the past few months due to concerns over its DIRT liability and a decline in banking sector prices worldwide. Many analysts believe AIB and Bank of Ireland have strong fundamentals and are good long-term buys but it is uncertain whether AIB will bolster Sharetrack 100 portfolios in the shorter term. The third most favoured core share was software technology firm Iona Technolgies.

The least popular core holdings were BOC, Adare and McDonald's. Investors may have been wise to avoid BOC shares which fell at the start of the week following indications that US anti-trust enforcers are eyeing the company. Industry insiders think the US government may challenge the purchase of BOC by Air Liquide and Air Products & Chemicals due to increased competition in the industrial-gas market.

After Baltimore, the two most loved trading shares were oil exploration company Bula and pharmaceuticals firm Elan. Again, BOC was the most reviled closely followed by the telecom Alcatel and hamburger giant McDonald's.

The second and third most popular core shares among students were Elan and AIB. Out of favour equities were Boots, Icon and Total Fina.

mward@irish-times.ie