DUBLIN REPORT: Iseq: 2,916.46 (+40.54) Settlement date: November 26thTHE SALE of troubled property developer Liam Carroll's stake in Irish Continental Group (ICG) into the market last week continued to buoy the ferry company on what was otherwise an extremely quiet day on the Dublin market.

ICG gained more than 48 cent on the day to close at €13.70. Elsewhere there were “little pockets of demand for stocks perceived to be in better shape”, one broker reported, but volumes were “anaemic” across the board.

“There was a lack of news to get anything done,” he explained.

The signing of the Bill to establish Nama by President Mary McAleese at the weekend had little impact on bank stocks, with volumes described by a broker as “pathetic”. AIB closed up more than 2 per cent at €1.74, but only 467,000 shares in the company changed hands in Dublin. Bank of Ireland struggled to make headway, and traded up by less than one cent to finish pretty much flat on the day at €1.70.

Indeed very few shares reached their average daily volumes during yesterday’s session.

Packaging giant Smurfit Kappa was up nearly 4 per cent – or 22 cent – at €5.95, but on light volume. Paddy Power was up the bones of 2 per cent at €24.40.

Elsewhere, budget airline Ryanair marked up to a daily high of almost €2.92 at one point, but lost pretty much all of the ground made on the day to finish on just under €2.89.

Index heavyweight CRH was reasonably strong, adding about 3.5 per cent to €17.70 on fairly light volume.

European markets were up about 2 per cent, boosted by expectations of more economic good news coming down the line. but the Iseq lagged, gaining 1.4 per cent.

Brokers expect that the Dublin market may remain quiet for the remainder of the week.