The number of trades dealt on the Irish Stock Exchange rose by 32 per cent in the first six months of 2014.

Some 2.2 million equity trades took place during the period, according to new figures published by the exchange.

The total value of trades rose 7 per cent to €31.8 billion, compared to €29.8 billion for the first six months of 2013.

The average daily turnover for equities totalled €256 million per day, also up 7 per cent versus the same period last year.

Approximately €980 million was raised by companies raised on the exchange. New listings, which included Dalata Hotel Group and Mainstay Medical to the Enterprise Securities Market and Irish Residential Properties REIT being admitted to the Main Securities Market, collectively raised €865 million.

The ISE said the total number of debt tranches listed stood at 23,504 at the end of June, an increase of 8 per cent so far this year.

The Iseq index of leading shares rose by 3.5 per cent to 4,700 during the first half of 2014. This compares with a 0.1 per cent decrease in the FTSE 100 and gains of 2.9 per cent for the German DAX and 3 per cent for the French CAC.

The Iseq index recorded its best performance since 1997 last year, rising by 33.6 per cent.

The index was also the best performer in Western Europe, outperforming the FTSE 100, Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC.