Following three weeks of declines, the share prices of HSBC Bank Malta plc and Bank of Valletta plc stabilised with both equities ending this morning’s MSE session unchanged.

Bank of Valletta plc recovered from an intra-day low of €2.32 to close again at the €2.33 level on volumes of 43,731 shares. Similarly, HSBC Bank Malta plc shares ended unchanged at the €2.44 level after recovering from an intra-day low of €2.43 across 28,607 shares. The equity will turn ex-dividend as from Thursday 13 March.

Meanwhile, the share price of Lombard Bank Malta plc shed 1.7% to a fresh 8-month low of €1.77 on low volumes of 8,643 shares. The Bank is scheduled to publish its 2013 full-year results this Friday 14 March.

On the other hand, the share price of Malta International Airport plc advanced by 1.4% to regain its all-time high of €2.20 on shallow volumes of 4,300 shares. The equity will trade with the entitlement to the final gross dividend of €0.06923 per share until Tuesday 15 April.

The only other active equity was Medserv plc as it held on to the €1.28 level on a small deal of 553 shares.

Overall, the MSE Share Index inched minimally higher to 3,597.526 points.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged minimally higher for the first time in the last six sessions to 1,026.181 points as the benchmark 10-year Eurozone yields slipped back to the 1.65% level following disappointing export figures from China. Yields on German Bunds also remained under pressure from the prevailing tension in Ukraine. In other news, Ireland announced that on Thursday it is going to return to the bond market after exiting its bailout three months ago. The country will be offering €1 billion of debt with a 10-year maturity.