During this morning’s session, the share index shed 0.5 per cent to 3,259.635 points mainly due to the declines in the share prices of the two large banks.

Bank of Valletta eased by 0.9 per cent to €2.22 across eight trades totalling 19,640 shares. The bank is scheduled to hold its annual general meeting on December 17.

Similarly, the equity of HSBC Bank Malta eased 1.6 per cent lower back to the €1.90,5 level (just 0.5c above its 2014 low) in contrast to the minimal uplift in the previous three sessions. A total of 10,068 shares changed hands today with further bids unsatisfied at the closing price and substantial demand in the market at the €1.90 level.

The only other negative performing equity today was RS2 Software with a minimal decline to €2.92,9 on just 650 shares.

On the other hand, further demand for property-related equities emerged with Plaza Centres touching a new 2014 high of 64c9 before easing back to a closing price of 63c which still represented a 1.6 per cent increase over the previous close.

Volumes increased to 174,700 shares. Similarly, the share price of Tigné Mall  advanced by 0.9 per cent to yet another all-time high of 58c5 on a deal of 10,200 shares.

Meanwhile, all other five active equities ended the session unchanged.

Most notably, in the financial sector, Lombard Bank Malta rebounded from an intra-day low of €1.70 to end the session unchanged at the €1.73 level across a total of 68,884 shares.

Similarly, a further 10,000 shares of FIMBank traded at the previous closing price of 60cUS.

Also no changes were registered in International Hotel Investments at the 53c5 level on a single trade of 2,000 shares and GO at the €2.52 level with only 2,000 shares changing hands today.

The only other active equity was Grand Harbour Marina as its share price held on to the €1.87 level after recovering from an intra-day low of €1.85,9 across low volumes of 3,000 shares.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index was practically unchanged at 1,096.863 points as benchmark Eurozone yields remained around the 0.75 per cent level with investors awaiting news from the monthly monetary policy meeting of the European Central Bank.

This afternoon, the ECB announced that it kept interest rates unchanged at 0.05 per cent and failed to enact additional stimulus despite various calls to prop up the region’s economy with further liquidity.

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