The share index extended its positive trend with a further 0.2 per cent increase to 3,622.359 points as various equities continued to reach new highs.
Most notably, the equity of Malta International Airport gained a further 1.6 per cent to reach yet another all-time high of €3.20 across 11 deals totalling 26,770 shares.
Following the further growth in passenger numbers during 2014, the airport operator recently revealed record financial results and the highest final gross dividend in the company’s history of 12c31 per share (net dividend of 8c per share). The dividend is payable to all shareholders as at the close of trading on April 16.
A new all-time high was also reached in the share price of MaltaPost at the €1.41 level, representing a 3.7 per cent uplift from the previous closing price, albeit on much lower volumes of 8,536 shares.
Likewise, Tigné Mall added 0.6 per cent to a new all-time high of 70c5 across a single trade of 1,000 shares. The shopping mall owner and operator is scheduled to publish its 2014 full-year results on April 9.
In the banking sector, Bank of Valletta trended in positive territory for the fifth successive session with a further 1.4 per cent increase to regain the €2.25 level across eight deals totalling 9,970 shares.
Amongst the large cap equities, GO plc also moved 0.7 per cent higher to reach a fresh seven-year high of €2.90 across six deals totalling 15,442 shares. The final net dividend of 7c per share is payable to all shareholders at the close of trading on March 30.
On the other hand, the equity of HSBC failed to hold on to the €1.98 level as it slipped back to the €1.94,5 level, representing a decline of 1.8 per cent. Trading activity shrunk to 29,260 shares.
Similarly, the share price of Lombard Bank eased 0.5 per cent back to the €1.87 level across 15,679 shares. Both the equities of HSBC and Lombard will continue trading with the entitlement to the respective final dividend until March 18.
Meanwhile, the only other active equity, Middlesea Insurance, ended the session unchanged at the €1.05 level on shallow volumes of 6,000 shares. The net dividend of 3c826 per share is payable to all shareholders as at close of trading on April 28.
The Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index advanced by a further 0.2 per cent today to yet another new record of 1,144.312 points as eurozone benchmark yields tested new all-time lows of 0.187 per cent in view of the European Central Bank’s Public Sector Purchase Programme (PSPP) which kicked off last Monday.
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