More than 33,700 securities from over 4,100 issuers in 82 countries were listed on the Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) at the end of June.

New figures released on Thursday show strong trading in Irish shares continuing as the Iseq index rose 18 per cent in the first half of 2015.

The number of securities listed on the global exchange market, one of the ISE’s two markets for debt listings, exceeded 7,000 for the first time in the second quarter.

Among the new debt securities admitted to the ISE in the second quarter was Spanish airline Iberia, which raised €125 million from a new corporate bond and Italian broadcaster Radio Televisione Italiana, which listed its first ever €350 million bond on the exchange's main securities market.

Irish-based companies listing debt securities were also represented with diagnostics firm Trinity Biotech listing a $100 million corporate bond and Permanent TSB, issuing two debt instruments and raising €425 million.

More than 1.2 million equities trades were done on the ISE’s electronic trading platform in the second quarter, bringing the first half total to 2.7 million, 20 per cent more than for the same period last year.

Companies on the ISE’s equity markets raised €504 million during the second quarter. At the end of the quarter, there were 27 companies apiece on the main securities market and the enterprise securities market.

Meanwhile the Iseq index reached 6,165 at the end of June, an 18 per cent increase on the first six months of 2015 when it stood at 5,225.

The ISE also reported strong activity in Irish Government bonds and treasury bills during the second quarter with turnover reaching €54.9 billion to bring the first half total to €160 billion, up 28 per cent versus the same period a year earlier.

There were 39,000 government-related trades in the first half, up 29.4 per cent compared to last year.

Market capitalisation for Irish Government securities currently stands at €115.9billion, compared to €120.2billion in the prior quarter.