The Royal Gazette/BSX closed up 4.73 points, or 0.40 per cent, at 1,186.41.

The sole trading of the day was 5,400 shares in utilities firm Ascendant, which pushed its price up 49 cents, or 10.9 per cent, to $4.99.

The BSX Insurance Index ended the day up 19.83 points, or 1.20 per cent, at 1,667.55.