Market makes modest advance

THE ISEQ index gained 4.59 points to close at 2,524.01.

Investors’ appetite for risk was dampened by worsening economic conditions in Europe and the US, and demand for safer assets, such as gold, increased. The ECB and Bank of England left interest rates on hold, in a bid to keep fears of inflation a bay.

In the financial sector, Bank of Ireland dropped 0.4c to 7.7c. AIB slipped 0.2c to 4.2c. Irish Life & Permanent gave up 0.3c to 2.7c, while insurance group FBD Holdings decreased 2.5c to €6.62.