HIBERNIAN Life & Pensions has appointed Stuart Purdy, currently managing director of parent company Aviva’s India-based operations, to a new role as deputy chief executive in Ireland.

The ISEQ index of shares continued its positive momentum with gains of 34.78 to close at 7922.18 today.

The Dublin stock exchange had a steady morning with a 25.69 point rise to 7,913.09 by 11am.

SALES at Hibernian Life rose by 17% to €146.7 million last year, as its market share increased by 6%.

Hibernian Life & Pensions has launched a new investment product that offers a capital guarantee if funds invested are left with Hibernian for five years.

The average Irish Pension Managed Fund gained 5.7% in the final quarter of the year, bringing the annual return for 2003 to 12.3%.

According to research published today Irish pension funds rose 4.1% in October.

THE AVERAGE Irish pension managed fund gained 2.7% in the third quarter of the year, according to the latest figures published by Mercer Investment Consulting.