Shares made marginal gains yesterday as investors awaited signals on trading conditions from key US firms which report today.

The ISEQ index closed 0.47 per cent stronger at 5,581.86, with industrials adding 0.68 per cent and financials gaining 0.05 per cent.

With the US exchanges closed for Martin Luther King Junior day, traders said investors would seek guidance from fourth-quarter statements today by bellweather groups Intel and Bank of America which are seen as reflecting conditions in the US market looking forward.

Microsoft, Gateway and Apple are among the other leading US techs due to report this week and traders expect that British retail sales and employment figures will also influence the market.

The most heavily traded stock in Dublin was Eircom, which gained a cent to close at €2.48. About 2.9 million shares changed hands, including a single tranch of 2.5 million.

A trader said sellers were concerned that Vodafone's proposed takeover of Eircom's mobile subsidiary Eircell might be undermined by deadlock in talks on the transfer of 1,300 staff from the parent company. Vodafone closed 4.5p sterling weaker at £2.33 on the London exchange yesterday.

Of the other industrial stocks, CRH closed 37 cents weaker at €18.60. The decline followed losses on the London exchange last Friday which were seen as reflecting fears about trading conditions in the US market.

Among the banks, Anglo Irish was well bid but lost two cents to close at €3.16. Bank of Ireland added 18 cents to reach €9.83 in relatively thin trading while Allied Irish lost 13 cents to finish at €13.03.

Ryanair gained six cents to close at €10.95 and index leader Elan added €1.72 to finish at €50.72.