Trading by Irish exploration companies Conroy Diamonds and Gold and Karelian Diamond Resources will get under way on the IEX, the junior market on the Irish Stock Exchange, today. This increases the number of companies on the IEX market to 27.

Deirdre Somers, chief executive of the Irish Stock Exchange, said it was encouraging to see Irish companies “seeking opportunities to grow their businesses in these challenging economic times”.

She said the euro-trading facility on the ISE would provide an opportunity for the companies to attract more euro-based investors.