Fresh demand for HSBC Bank Malta plc emerged during this morning's session helping the bank's equity to rise by 2% to regain the €2.55 level across six trades totalling 11,760 shares. Meanwhile Bank of Valletta plc failed to hold on to an intra-day high of €2.52 to close today's session unchanged at the €2.52 level on higher volumes of over 32,500 shares. The increased activity in BOV's equity could be due to the upcoming 1 for 8 bonus share issue which was approved during last Friday's Annual General Meeting. Shareholders as at close of trading on 9 January will be eligible to receive the bonus shares.

Despite the increase the HSBC's share price, the MSE Share Index eased by 0.1% to a new 27-month low of 3,056.748 points.

MIDI plc's share price slumped 10% to a new all-time low of €0.351 on a single trade of a mere 1,300 shares while Middlesea Insurance plc also close in negative territory today after a small deal of 50 shares was transacted at the equity's 2011 low of €0.80.

Low volumes also recorded in the only two other active equities, namely Malta International Airport plc and MaltaPost plc. Both equities closed unchanged at €1.60 and €0.955 respectively.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged higher for the fourth consecutive session with another 0.1% rise to a 5-week high of 988.254 points. This reflects the recent downturn in benchmark Eurozone yields as markets remain increasingly wary of the region's sovereign debt crisis. The price of the 5.20% MGS 2031 advanced by 28 basis points to a new all-time high of 102.83% on volumes of €326,300 (nom).