MSE Share Index hits 14-month high

The MSE Share Index rallied by 1.6 per cent on the last trading day of the week to close at a new 14-month high of 3,186.397 points.

Today's upturn helped the local equity benchmark to end the week in positive territory for the fifth consecutive time with a further 1.4 per cent weekly increase.

All active equities this morning traded higher with HSBC Bank Malta plc (inactive for most of the week) jumping 3.7 per cent to close at the €2.80 level for the first time since early August on increased volumes totalling 33,756 shares.

Bank of Valletta plc maintained its recent positive run with the third consecutive increase during this morning's session.

BOV's share price edged a further 1.4 per cent higher to regain the €2.23 level on continued high volumes totalling 90,775 shares. BOV shares climbed 1.8 per cent this week on high activity of over 325,600 shares.

The share price of GO plc edged 3.6 per cent higher on a single trade of 2,900 shares to a fresh seven-week high of 97c9 representing a 0.9 per cent weekly increase.

Single deals were also transacted in Simonds Farsons Cisk plc and Malta International Airport plc.

Farsons shares climbed a further 1.3 per cent to yet another new four-year high of €2.35 to end the week in positive territory for the fourth consecutive time.

The equity is the best performer this year with a 30.6 per cent gain mainly fuelled by the recent interim results publication which revealed a 45 per cent jump in the interim profits to a record €3.8 million.

Meanwhile, after trading at €1.73 during the previous four sessions of the week, MIA's share price today edged minimally higher to close at the €1.73,5 level on low volumes of 2,300 shares.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index eased 0.1 per cent lower to 996.928 points as Eurozone yields regained the 1.5 per cent level.

In spite of the concerns over global growth as well as the economic crisis in Spain and Greece, eurozone yields ended the week flat around the 1.5 per cent level. Similarly, the local MGS benchmark only eased minimally lower this week.

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