For most of today’s trading session on the Stock Exchange the MSE Share Index trailed lower before being lifted higher to 3,346.092 points (+0.3 per cent) during the latter part.

A late bout of fresh demand lifted the equities of Bank of Valletta plc and Malta International Airport plc as well as helping Simonds Farsons Cisk plc to close unchanged.

Bank of Valletta plc reversed yesterday’s decline as the equity jumped 1.3 per cent to regain the €3.24 level across eight trades amounting to 14,125 shares. Meanwhile HSBC Bank Malta plc again closed unchanged at the €2.80 level on low volumes of 9,000 shares.

Also in the financial services sector, Middlesea Insurance plc opened at €1 (the highest level since September 20) but eventually eased back to the €0.99 level - unchanged from the previous close. A total of 1,532 shares changed hands today.

Malta International Airport plc closed in positive territory for the second successive session as its share price edged a further 0.7 per cent higher to €1.54 on volumes of 5,300 shares. Meanwhile GO plc eased 0.5 per cent lower to €1.84 across five trades totalling 32,700 shares.

The share price of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc opened the day 5.7 per cent lower at €1.65 on a miniscule trade of 99 shares but the equity subsequently regained the €1.75 level on another small trade of 300 shares. The Farsons Group is expected to pay the recently declared interim dividend of €0.01,33 per share on October 22.

On the bond market, the 20-year Malta Government Stock dropped 62 basis points to 103.38 per cent with various other corporate bonds active. The buy-back offer period of Bay Street Finance plc starts tomorrow.

A copy of the Tender Offer Memorandum is available for download from website below.

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