Slight gain in quiet day for market

The Iseq index gained 7.57 points yesterday to close at 3,286.20.

World stocks fell as investors cut back positions before the end of the first quarter.

In the financial sector, Irish Life & Permanent was instructed by the minister for finance to sell its life assurance business to the State for €1.3bn. The unit was put up for sale last year but failed to find a buyer as the eurozone crisis reached its peak. Share in the bank dropped 0.3c to 4.2c. Bank of Ireland slipped 0.1c to 12.8c, while AIB was dipped 0.1c to 9.5c.