Market Analysis

Market wrap: Global markets rise as politics rules the day

Stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic are trading up following a busy political agenda

The Iseq All Share was up 1.3 per cent on Wednesday afternoon brought higher by AIB, whose shares rose 5.25 per cent following its annual results. Picture: Post Reporter

Between company results, Super Tuesday in the US and the UK budget, global markets had a lot to digest on Wednesday afternoon.

The Iseq All Share was up 1.3 per cent after lunchtime brought higher by AIB, whose shares rose 5.25 per cent following its annual results. This served to pull its peer Bank of Ireland 2.88 per cent higher.

Cairn was also in positive territory while Mincon Group and Smurfit Kappa dropped.

Meanwhile in the UK investors were digesting the hour-long budget delivered by Jeremy Hunt, chancellor of the UK exchequer. Initial feedback was positive with the FTSE up 0.5 per cent.