ISEQ keeps head up
The ISEQ is staying in positive territory - just - after morning trade saw it 1.82 points up, to 6419.35 , at lunchtime.
Stock in bookmaker Paddy Power leapt 23 cent to €11.06 on the back of a positive trading statement from the group, to the effect that pre-tax profits for 2004 are set to be about €32.1m - 57% higher than in 2003.
Builders Grafton and Heiton were still seeing the effects of last week's announcement by the Grafton board that all conditions of its proposed €336m acquisition offer for Heiton Holdings have now either been satisfied or waived. The offer has therefore been declared unconditional in all respects.
Shares at Grafton rose 10 cent this morning, to €8.60. Heiton, whose stores include Heiton Buckley, Atlantic Homecare and Cork Builders Providers, saw its share price rise by eight cent to €7.70.
Financial stocks were downbeat, with Anglo Irish Bank the biggest faller, down 21 cent to €18.96. AIB was level at €15.55 while Bank of Ireland dropped 10 cent to €12.30.
