HSBC at record high

Trading in HSBC Bank Malta opened at Lm7.999 on Monday. The stock gained 6c3 during the week to end at Lm8.062 on Friday. Trading last week consisted of 14,960 shares, changing hands over 22 deals.

Trading ranged between Lm8.07 and Lm7.998. As Friday's session drew to a close, best bids for 200 shares at Lm8.062 stood against best offers of 1,918 shares at Lm8.20.

Bank of Valletta shares fell 3c9. Trading opened at Lm4.719 on Monday and went down to close at Lm4.68 on Friday. Trading ranged between Lm4.719 and Lm4.66.

A total of 50,841 shares changed hands in 57 deals. At the end of Friday's session, bids for 500 shares at Lm4.65 and offers for 265 shares at Lm4.68 made up the best unsatisfied closing positions.

Maltacom shares opened at Lm1.599 on Monday and closed at Lm1.60 with total turnover amounting to 36,198 shares spread over 40 deals.

At the close of business on Friday, 750 shares at Lm1.58 were the best outstanding bids and 7,317 shares at Lm1.60 were the best offers still unsatisfied.

On Wednesday, the board of directors of Suncrest Hotels plc published the financial statements for the year ended October 31, 2004. These show a turnover figure of Lm2,612,000 (October, 2003: Lm2.2 million), profit on ordinary activities after taxation amounting to Lm75,000 (a loss after tax of Lm361,000) and earnings per share of 0c8 (loss per share of 3c6). The directors of the company are not proposing the payment of a dividend.

The other equities which traded last week appear, with the trading range in brackets, were: 1,111 Lombard Bank shares (Lm4.251-Lm4.10); 2,611 Middlesea Insurance shares (Lm2.50); 27,777 Simonds Farsons Cisk (Lm1.12); 2,000 International Hotels Investments shares (€0.76); 236,376 FimBank shares (US$1.05-$1.00); 14,303 Malta International Airport shares (Lm1.151-Lm1.13); 1,000 Global Financial Services shares (Lm1.208); 19,165 Santumas Shareholdings plc shares (Lm0.76-Lm0.75); and 1,600 Datatrak shares (Lm0.20).

Total Malta Government Stock turnover amounted to a nominal value of Lm3,041,200, being traded in 71 deals over 21 different stocks. Trading over the week in corporate bonds was made up of a total value of Lm57,523.

The Malta Stock Exchange Share Index fell 2.404 points or 0.08% last week and now stands at 3,143.755.

Report by Azzopardi Investment Management Limited, tel: 2131-3100, fax 2131-8897 www.azzopardi.com