CRH fall provides diversion in thin trading and lower prices

ANOTHER sharp fall by CRH in later trading was the only distinguishing feature of another featureless day's trading in Dublin…

ANOTHER sharp fall by CRH in later trading was the only distinguishing feature of another featureless day's trading in Dublin, with share prices generally pushing lower in thin volumes.

CRH tracked the movement in shares in London where they fell 10p to 620p sterling in modest sized trading to end down 15p at 615p.

Among the leaders, AIB fell 5p in a late trading to 328p after trading steadily at the overnight rate for most of the day. Bank of Ireland edged 1p higher on 431p while Smurfit was lp easier on 168p as the market waits for the next big news from the group - the second quarter results from JS Corp due in a few weeks.

Independent was unchanged on 280p as it was disclosed that Dr Tony O'Reilly had exercised options over 3.24 million shares to bring his stake in Independent back above 27 per cent. Green Property got a bumper 97.9 per cent response to its rights issue and the small rump was placed in the market at the going rate of 235p, 35p above the rights issue price.

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Hibernian was unchanged on 292p - AIB Investment Managers sold 120,000 shares earlier this week but still has almost 17 per cent of the company. Adare fell 7 1/2p to 460p.

Jurys was 10p stronger on 280p ahead of today's results while Tullow rose a penny, closing on 92p. Waterford Wedgwood was unchanged on 82p as it was disclosed that the company's Employee Share Ownership Plan bought 500,000 shares on Tuesday at 81p each.