Market gains on Barclays report

THE Irish market gained yesterday mirroring gains made on major bourses worldwide. The ISEQ index added 79.17 points to 2,094.94.

Financial stocks moved on as Barclays Bank announced that it had begun 2009 on a positive footing, thus becoming the latest major bank to do so after similar statements from some large US banks last week.

AIB and Bank of Ireland added 7.2c and 8.7c to close at 58.2c and 36.7c. Irish Life Permanent gained 3.8c to 76.9c.