Iseq down 0.6% as Ryanair and Flutter trade lower

New Swiss CEO of Grafton has narrowed group’s geographic focus for deals but opened out the search for the type of businesses being targeted

DIY chain reports 3.2% increase in half-year revenue to £1.19bn (€1.4bn), ‘with 60% of revenue generated in Ireland, the Netherlands and Finland’

Top 1000: Shuffling of desks at the top of major players in both the public and private sectors

Grafton Group, the international building materials distributor and DIY retailer, announced its intention earlier this month

Strong tech results ease Wall Street concerns about lenders

DIY retailer and building materials distributor completes £93.3m share buyback programme

Company has now repurchased a total of €219m in shares since May last year

Consumer spending hit as macroeconomic environment dents confidence

Grafton fears impact on outlet with garden centre and parking in Swords

Group average daily like-for-like revenue showed growth of 2.6% in the final two months of 2022

Grafton Group-owned builders’ merchants has invested €50m to upgrade branches since 2018

Building materials group plans new £100m share buyback scheme as company maintains strong financial position

Bank of Ireland was the standout performer on what was a muted day on Euronext Dublin

Eric Born will join the company on November 28th, taking over from Gavin Slark who will stay on until the end of the year

Slowing economy makes companies wary of expansion but they have excess cash after post-Covid recovery in profits

Group’s retail business normalises following pandemic spike, but revenue and profit remain ahead of pre-Covid levels

Company continues to deliver on strategy despite inflation threat

Partnership will support development of new skills and apprenticeship centre in the capital

. Markets subdued as ECB rate hikes loom