Settlement Date: June 10thThe stock marked added half a percentage point in value yesterday, bucking the weaker trend on international markets on foot of strong performances by Ryanair and Elan.
Shares in the low-cost airline rose by 31 cents, or 5.4 per cent, to €6.02 as the company embarked on investor roadshows in the wake of its recent results.
Elan continued its recent rally, adding 1.30 in Dublin to 7.25 as investors responded to recent positive newsflow. The purchase earlier this week of 100,000 Elan shares by chief executive, Mr Kelly Martin, also lent support to the stock, dealers said.
Elsewhere in the pharmaceutical sector, Galen turned in a good performance, advancing by 23 cents to 8.50 in Dublin.
Financials had a weaker day, however, following news that the European Central Bank had cut official interest rates by half a percentage point to 2 per cent. AIB was the biggest loser, shedding 27 cents to €13.05 although traders said volumes were light.
Bank of Ireland lost 10 cents to 11.10, Anglo Irish Bank dropped by 12 cents to 7.55 while Irish Life & Permanent gave up 30 cents to €10.25.
CRH was broadly unchanged, closing one cent lower at €13.44, as credit ratings agency Fitch affirmed its ratings and described the outlook for the company as "stable".
Waterford Wedgwood shares closed just one cent lower at €0.22 as the market absorbed the recent set of full-year results. Independent News & Media was also off a cent to €1.45 ahead of today's annual meeting while Irish Continental was unchanged at 7.70 in above-average volume of more than two million shares.
