A #2.75 jump in the share price of pharmaceuticals group Elan helped push the ISEQ up more than 1 per cent to close the day at 6,410.24.

Elan, which accounts for a quarter of the Irish index, was buoyed by positive market reaction to its announcement that it was launching phase 2 trials of an experimental vaccine for Alzheimer's disease and expectations that its second quarter results, due today, will be good.

In what was a quiet day's trading on the Irish market Golden Vale enjoyed good volumes, closing the day marginally stronger in terms of price, up 1 cent to #1.54. Fyffes also enjoyed good two-way volume with more than 2.5 million shares changing hands, eventually dropping back 2 cents to #1.21.

Despite reasonable volumes, Anglo Irish Bank remained unchanged at #4.55 on the close of business. Elsewhere among the financials, AIB had a relatively flat day, picking up 1 cent to #13.12 on thin volumes of just more than 300,000 shares. Bank of Ireland traded in greater volumes of more than 700,000, picking up 17 cents to close the day at #11.90.

Renewed interest from buyers in CRH saw it regain some of the losses of the previous few days. It was 28 cents stronger at #20. Grafton also regained some ground, picking up 5 cents to #3.05, while Greencore was 7 cents stronger at #2.67. Smurfit dropped back 3 cents to #2.35 on small volumes, while Kerry dropped 9 cents despite good two-way trading which saw more than 740,000 shares changing hands.

IFG Group continued its good run, closing at #3.62, up 14 cents.