Sector movers: Balfour and Kier construct gains

On a mostly dull day for stocks, Balfour Beatty is giving the construction and materials sector a lift after a consortium including the contractor was named the preferred bidder for a £250m road scheme in Ireland.The road runs Gort and Tuam in the west of the Republic.Elsewhere in the sector, housebuilder and contractor Kier, which yesterday said it is rolling in cash after a year in which underlying profitability surged despite a gentle slide in revenue, is also going well.Irish banks are under pressure amid renewed concern they may need more government aid.Allied Irish and Bank of Ireland are lower. So are RBS, Barclays and Lloyds.Top performing sectors so far todayAlternative Energy 3,575.10 +1.90%Electronic & Electrical Equipment 2,322.02 +1.81%Personal Goods 16,536.14 +1.13%Construction & Materials 3,421.24 +1.05%Food & Drug Retailers 4,984.45 +0.85%Bottom performing sectors so far todayElectricity 6,925.43 -1.36%Banks 5,093.68 -1.18%Financial Services 5,164.25 -0.88%Household Goods & Home Construction 6,349.03 -0.83%Life Insurance 4,090.49 -0.78%