Market concludes day's trading with little change

Market Report: The Irish stock market finished the day little changed as banking stocks turned in a mixed performance.

Bank of Ireland edged up four cent to €12.99 after issuing a pre-close trading statement that analysts said contained few surprises. The bank is expecting to deliver first-half underlying earnings growth of 9 per cent, despite ongoing difficulties at its asset management division.

AIB and Anglo Irish Bank gave up some of Monday's gains, however. The former closed 14 cent lower at €17.60, while the latter shed two cent to €11.20. Irish Life & Permanent did better, however, adding 10 cent to €15.

Elsewhere, food group IAWS bounced back as the market digested full-year results, released on Monday, showing a 13 per cent rise in earnings. The stock closed up 20 cent, or nearly 1.8 per cent, at €11.60.

Other movers yesterday included clinical trials group, Icon, which added €3.03 or nearly 9 per cent to €36.78 in Dublin after releasing first quarter results.

On the Nasdaq, its main market, it added 5.5 per cent following the release, which analysts said showed the company back on track after last year's difficulties with cancellations. Independent News & Media gave up four cent, or 1.7 per cent, to €2.33 amid concern about the prospect of freesheet competition in the Dublin market and worries about the weakness of consumer spending in the UK and its likely impact on advertising revenue.

Jurys edged up by five cent to €18.60, with less than 40,000 shares traded, as shareholders approved the sale of five acres of its Ballsbridge site to developer Sean Dunne at an extraordinary meeting.

Shares in Viridian were unchanged at €11.85 ahead of the release of a preclose statement today.

IFG, which reports half-year results today, was off one cent to €1.32, while McInerney lost three cent to €8.45 ahead of its figures today.

Settlement Date: September 30th