The equities of HSBC Bank Malta plc and International Hotel Investments plc both declined this morning forcing the MSE Share Index down 1% to 3,366.054 points.

The share price of HSBC slid 1% lower to a fresh 5-year low of €2.07 across nine deals totalling just over 43,000 shares. Meanwhile, lower volumes were transacted in IHI. Its share price shed 2.7% to a new 7-month low of €0.76 on just 931 shares.

Bank of Valletta plc shares also ended the session in negative territory after a volatile session. BOV’s equity initially climbed to an intra-day high of €2.181 but subsequently slumped to an intra-day low of €2.11 before partially recovering to end the session at the €2.14 level but still representing a 1.4% drop from the previous closing price. A total of 52,440 shares changed hands today across 25 deals.

The only other negative performing equity was 6pm Holdings plc which traded for the first time since turning ex-dividend and ex-bonus. A single trade of 500 shares was executed at the GBP0.71 level which represents a 2.2% drop from the previous post-bonus adjusted closing price of GBP 0.726. The 6pm Group is scheduled to hold its Annual General Meeting this Thursday 19 June.

Meanwhile, no change was registered in the share price of GO plc at the €2.01 level on low volumes of 5,000 shares. Similarly, Medserv plc held on to the €1.20 level across 8,340 shares.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index closed higher for the fourth consecutive session with a further marginal increase to 1,045.968 points as the Central Bank of Malt continued to raise its bid prices for the longer-term MGS offsetting the marginal reductions in the bid prices of the short and medium-term government paper.

This afternoon, the Malta Stock Exchange announced that the recently issued €150.7 million 4.3% MGS 2033 (I) has been admitted to the Official List with trading expected to commence as from tomorrow.

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