DUBLIN REPORT:THE IRISH market inched into positive territory yesterday although volumes were light across the board.

Industrial holding company DCC was among the main movers. The company, which reported a 12.3 per cent rise in its full-year pretax profit to €18.17 million following a number of successful acquisitions and what the company said was strong organic growth, traded up about 6 per cent at one stage before eventually ending nearly 4 per cent stronger as it added on 58 cent to €15.68.

Elsewhere, finance group IFG released a trading statement in which it said its business was performing well despite the problems in the property market.

Reconfirming its guidance for the year, it enjoyed a good day as its share price tacked on four cent to €2.14 although volumes were very thin.

Financial stocks all closed the day in positive territory, with Anglo Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland among the better performers. Anglo added on 18 cent - or nearly 2 per cent - to €9.53, while Bank of Ireland was up more than 1 per cent to €8.80.

Among the other financials, Irish Life Permanent tacked on eight cent to €11.55, AIB was nine cent firmer at €13.75, while FBD was 14 cent ahead on €26.99.

CC saw its stock slide back by eight cent to €5.20. Earlier in the day, analysts reported that sales of CC's Magners cider in the UK had slumped by almost a third in March from the same month last year, according to data from research company Nielsen.

Construction stocks put in a mixed day. McInerney shed 4 cent to €0.93 although volumes were light. Kingspan lost nine cent to €7.75.

However, CRH picked up 27 cent to €24.65 on modest volumes, while Grafton was 18 cent stronger at €5.28 with about a million shares traded.

Iseq: 6,460.44 (+31.21) Settlement date: May 22nd