Trading volumes during this morning’s trading session on the Malta Stock Exchange slowed down to the lowest levels in two weeks. Despite the decline in trading activity, the MSE Share Index edged 0.3% higher to 3,328.905 points mainly due to the recovery in the equity of HSBC Bank Malta plc.
Following two sessions of declines in spite of the entitlement to the final gross dividend of 7c9 per share, the bank’s share price moved back into positive territory with a 1.1% jump to regain the €2.75 level on low volumes of 7,800 shares. The shares will continue to trade cum-dividend until Wednesday
Similarly, Lombard Bank Malta plc edged 1.3% higher to close at the €1.91,5 level for the first time since mid-January ahead of the bank’s full-year results scheduled to be published today week.
Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta plc held on to the €2.30 level across two deals totalling 4,000 shares. The publication of FIMBank plc’s 2012 full-year results failed to move the equity as a trade of only 1,350 shares was executed at the US$1 level.
The 2012 figures revealed a 6.8% increase in pre-tax profits to US$8.8 million largely attributable to a 6.7% growth in total operating income to US$40 million and a 1.5% drop in the overall cost base to US$28.5 million.
The directors also recommended a final net dividend of US$0.03,69 per share to all shareholders as at close of trading on 26 March. Further details here.
RS2 Software plc shares also maintained their previous closing price as a further 15,667 shares were exchanged at the equity’s all-time high of 91c. The IT company still has to announce the date of its 2012 preliminary results publication.
On the other hand, the share price of Plaza Centres plc slipped 1.5% lower to the 58c level across four trades totalling 74,000 shares ahead of the company’s full-year results publication on Wednesday.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index was practically unchanged today at 1,010.469 points as Eurozone yields continued to trade just above the 1.45% level ahead of the monetary policy meetings of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England (BoE).
Both central banks maintained their benchmark interest rates at the historically low levels of 0.75% and 0.5% respectively. Investors are now focused on this afternoon’s press conference of the ECB’s President Mario Draghi for indications on the extent of the threat posed by Italy’s political deadlock on Europe’s recovery.
Locally, this afternoon, the Malta Stock Exchange announced that the institutional tranches of the recently issued Malta Government Stocks (MGS) will be admitted to the official list on Monday with trading expected to commence the following day.
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