Despite today’s 0.2 per cent decline in the share index to 3,417.823 points, the equity benchmark still rallied by 1.9 per cent this week.
The downturn during today’s session was as a result of slight losses in two of the larger caps. The share price of Bank of Valletta registered its fourth consecutive decline with a further 0.5 per cent drop back to the €2.06 level across 25 deals totalling 46,595 shares.
International Hotel Investments eased marginally lower to close this morning’s session at 64c9 on total volumes of 42,500 shares. Nonetheless, IHI’s share price is still 13.9 per cent above last Friday’s closing price as the market reacted to last week’s announcement revealing IHI’s plans to acquire Island Hotels Group Holdings . The latter’s equity rallied by 16.5 per cent on Monday to regain the 99c level but has since remained inactive with no sellers in sight.
On the other hand, Plaza Centres edged 0.1 per cent higher to 68c6 (the highest closing price since June 2012) on high volumes of 59,500 shares. Similarly, the equity of MaltaPost advanced by 0.6 per cent to regain the €1.23,2 level on lower volumes of 9,924 shares.
The other three active equities during this morning’s session closed unchanged. GO’s share price recovered from an intra-day low of €2.56 to end the session unchanged at the €2.59,5 level across nine trades totalling 21,250 shares.
Similarly, Malta International Airport failed to hold on to a new all-time high of €2.45,5 to end the session unchanged at the €2.45 level across 12,000 shares.
The only other active equity was Santumas Shareholdings with a further 800 shares changing hands at the €2 level across a single trade.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index jumped 0.6 per cent to a fresh all-time high of 1,119.076 points as benchmark 10-year Eurozone yields slumped to a new all-time low of 0.361 per cent following yesterday’s larger-than-expected action by the European Central Bank in a further bid to stimulate the regions’ economy.
The ECB is planning to buy €60 billion worth of public and private bonds every month from March 2015 until September 2016.
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