Market makes modest gain

THE ISEQ index finished up 35.48 points yesterday at 3,774.93.

The main news of the day was that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Group is to invest $5 billion in Goldman Sachs, which helped to allay fears that the US Fed’s $700bn bailout package might be watered down, and that it was meeting increasing resistance in Congress.

In the financial sector, AIB finished up 28c at €6.35, Bank of Ireland dipped 10c to €3.95, Irish Life & Permanent fell 41c to €5.65, while Anglo Irish Bank decreased 10c to €3.98.

In the construction sector, CRH regained some of yesterday's losses adding 74c to 16.24, Kingspan increased 6c to 6.41, while Grafton closed at 3.70, up 10c.

In other news, Kerry Group gained 37c to 19.60, Paddy Power fell 43c to 13.32, Independent News & Media shed 5c to 1.30, while shares in Providence Resources rose by 1c to E0.06 after it reported a first-half net profit compared to the same time the previous year.