The market report

Shares in Dublin surged higher yesterday, led by gains in the financial sector, after the country's biggest bank released better…

Shares in Dublin surged higher yesterday, led by gains in the financial sector, after the country's biggest bank released better-than expected results for the first six months of 1997.

Allied Irish Banks, which started the day at 595p, said it made profits of £242.2 million for the halfyear. Shares in the company saw massive interest, and its price soared to an all-time high, closing up 40p, almost 7 per cent, at 635p. Guarded calm lay behind yesterday's performance of British equities as a raft of disappointing corporate results jostled for influence with another record breaking performance on Wednesday for Wall Street.