The MSE Share Index retreated by 0.4% during this morning’s session of the stock exchange to 3,702.81 points mainly due to the 3.3% drop in the share price of International Hotel Investments plc back to the €0.88 level on a single trade of 3,214 shares.
The only other negative performing equity today was RS2 Software plc with a 0.6% decline back to the €2.32 level also on low volumes of 267 shares.
On the other hand, higher volumes were transacted across most of today’s positive performers. Bank of Valletta plc gained 0.4% at €2.47 across thirteen deals totalling just over 13,000 shares. Similarly, the share price of GO plc ended the first session of this shortened week 0.8% higher at €1.995 after touching the €2.00 level for the first time since June 2011. A total of 21,262 shares changed hands today.
A single trade of 15,868 shares of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc was executed at the equity’s all-time high of €2.955 representing a 0.2% increase over the previous closing price. One deal was also also executed in Crimsonwing plc as its share price edged 1.2% higher to €0.82 across 2,543 shares.
Meanwhile, all other six active equities ended this morning’s session unchanged amid shallow volumes. Most notably, HSBC Bank Malta plc held on to the €2.60 level on just 256 shares and Malta International Airport plc maintained the €2.19 level on volumes of 1,500 shares.
The equity of MaltaPost plc was also active this morning as 1,000 shares traded unchanged at the €1.10 level.
This morning, the postal operator issued an Interim Directors’ Statement explaining that the company’s financial performance since the start of the current financial year on October 1 has been in line with that of the previous comparable period as the increase in turnover was offset by higher operating expenses. In the announcement, the directors also noted that although the recent rate hikes for certain postal service will alleviate some of the adverse effects from the declining traditional mail volumes, the company is maintaining an open dialogue with the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) to ensure the sustainability of the Universal service Obligations (USO).
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index slipped a further 0.1% to a 4-week low of 1,025.660 points as Eurozone yields continued to recover and now stand at the 1.69% level following last week’s reassurances by the European Central Bank (ECB).
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