The Iseq continued this morning's strong performance with the index sitting at 6,619.30 at 3.35pm, up 131.77 points on yesterday's close.
CRH (up 0.86c at 23.86), Allied Irish Banks Plc (up 0.41c at 15.31), Kingspan Group Plc (up 0.15 at 10.2), Bank of Ireland (up 0.261c at 9.591) and Anglo Irish Bank Corporation (up 0.22 at 9.34) saw the most movement. The Iseq made a relatively strong start to the day this morning despite international dismay over increased fears of a US recession. By 10.15 am, the Iseq stood at 6,560.15 up 72.62 points on yesterday's close of trading.
Elsewhere, European shares slipped in early trade, continuing their torrid start to 2008 as recession fears hit banks and oil shares, though merger and acquisition talk supported miners.
Earlier this morning, the FTSEurofirst 300 index index of top European shares was down 0.4 per cent at 1,369.26 points, despite a recovery in Asian shares on hopes that a financial package from President George W. Bush would cushion the US economy from a downturn.
US stocks fell sharply yesterday as news of a plunge in regional factory activity and a hefty loss at Merrill Lynch stoked an increasingly dire view of the economy. But Tokyo shares rose in late trade on the back of a firmer dollar.