Jurys Doyle sees frantic business as volumes ease

Market Report:  The market dipped a little yesterday as volumes eased off towards normal summer levels.

The exception to the rule came in Jurys Doyle, where business was at its most frantic in months. The mystery behind the volume of nearly 2.5 million shares was solved after the market closed, when Seán Dunne said he had built up a 3.37 per cent stake in the company.

Shares in the group finished at €17.55, up 15 cent on the day.

Ryanair was also busy, with almost six million shares traded in Dublin. The stock closed one cent higher at €6.56, having reached a high of €6.70 earlier in the day.

Dealers said it had been playing "catch-up" with Easyjet, which continues to attract takeover rumours.

The financials were weaker as a group, although Irish Life & Permanent bucked the trend by climbing 15 cent to €14.75.

FBD also moved ahead, rising by 25 cent to €32.50.

AIB however fell by 17 cent to €17.93, while Bank of Ireland shed four cent to finish at €13.13.

Anglo Irish was busier than its two larger bedfellows put together as it lost 15 cent to close at €11.00.

Elsewhere, Grafton came under some pressure amid continued concerns about the British builders' supply market. The stock fell by three cent to €9.07.

Kingspan also declined, losing two cent to end the session at €10.67.

On the positive side of the board at the end was DCC, where shares rose by 12 cent to €18.90 as market sentiment on the stock remained sound.

McInerney also did well, adding four cent to close at €8.48.

CRH was quiet on the day, with fewer than 200,000 shares changing hands. The stock closed unchanged at €22.89.

Volume was low in C&C too, although price movements were more extreme. The stock finished at €4.30, five cent weaker.

Elan was particularly volatile, falling by 38 cent to €6.52.

Settlement Date: August 17th