Most of the active equities during this morning’s session on the Stock Exchange closed higher with the MSE Share Index rising by 1.1 per cent to just above the 3,200-points level.
After easing marginally lower during yesterday’s session, the share prices of the two large banks advanced with HSBC Bank Malta plc edging 1.5 per cent higher to €2.70 on just over 50,000 shares whilst Bank of Valletta plc rose by 2.65 per cent to regain the €2.40 level across 13 trades totalling 40,256 shares.
Yesterday evening, BOV held its annual general meeting during which shareholders approved all the items on the agenda including the final gross dividend of 13c per share as well as the one for nine bonus issue.
The cut-off date for the bonus issue is January 14.
Gains were also registered in the share price of GO plc with a further 0.45 per cent increase to a new six-month high of €1.17,5 across five trades totalling 8,500 shares.
In the meantime, investors are still waiting a decision on whether the company will participate in the upcoming €30 million rights issue of Forthnet.
On their part, GO’s directors declared that a decision will only be taken once the related prospectus is issued.
Sustained demand for Crimsonwing plc shares also lifted the IT equity by a further 6.55 per cent to an almost four-year high of 49c on volumes of 18,580 shares. Crimsonwing’s equity tops this year’s rankings with a staggering 965 per cent jump since the start of 2012 and a growth of over 2005 per cent compared to its all-time low of 16c reached on April 4.
Shares of Grand Harbour Marina plc also edged 0.65 per cent higher to regain the €1.82 level on a single trade of 1,900 shares.
In its latest communication to the market on November 19, the company had announced that a sale of a €3.1 million super-yacht berth should be concluded the end of the year.
On the other hand, 6pm Holdings plc retreated 3.25 per cent lower during this morning’s session to £0.30 on a single deal of 1,000 shares.
This equity dropped despite the recent letter by the CEO to all shareholders revealing that since the company has been in a profitable position throughout 2012, the board of directors will recommend the payment of a final dividend and a bonus issue once the full-year results are approved in 2013.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged a further 0.15 per cent higher to regain the 1,003 points level as benchmark 10-year German Bund yields retreated from yesterday’s four-week highs on the back of fresh concerns over the US fiscal cliff.
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