The share index rebounded from yesterday’s decline and edged 0.2 per cent higher to 4,340.852 points. The most actively traded equity was Lombard Bank while Maltapost closed at a new record level.
Maltapost had been inactive since August 24 and returned to action this morning with a 3.9 per cent rise to a new all-time high of €1.70 across 7,146 shares.
The parent company of the postal operator, Lombard Bank, also featured among the positive performers today on high activity. The share price advanced by 1.8 per cent to the €2.13,8 level on volumes of 54,355 shares.
Also in the banking sector, Bank of Valletta gained 0.4 per cent and closed the session at €2.36 across 18,994 shares.
Yesterday the bank announced that its forthcoming annual general meeting was being held on December 17.
BOV generally publishes its preliminary full-year results by the end of October.
Recently BOV also announced that it lodged an application with the Listing Authority for a subordinated debt issuance programme of a maximum of €150 million over the next twelve months. Further details will be issued in the prospectus and final terms once approval is granted.
A single deal of just 551 shares in Mapfre Middlesea led the insurance company 0.4 per cent higher to the €2.27,9 level.
Recently, the company announced that, subject to all regulatory approvals, it reached agreements with Montaldo Insurance Agency and Untours Insurance Agency for them to act as agents of Mapfre Middlesea.
Malita Investments was the day’s worst performer as the equity shed 5.4 per cent to the 88c level across two deals totalling 30,000.
Meanwhile, the other three traded equities closed the day unchanged.
HSBC managed to recover from an intra-day low of €1.82 and closed at the €1.83 level across 20,000 shares.
On the other hand, insignificant volumes were registered in International Hotel Investments and Simonds Farsons Cisk as both equities traded unchanged at 80c and €5.60 respectively.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index advanced by 0.27 per cent to 1,130.283 points – its highest level since August 25 – as the benchmark 10-year German Bund yield moved lower to the 0.57 per cent level before going up again to the 0.6 per cent level during the day.
The move was triggered by upbeat confidence data, which shrugged off slower growth concerns across Chinese. Sentiment was also conditioned by Spainish statistics which showed that consumer prices fell more rapidly in September than in the previous month.
Last Friday, the Treasury announced the issue of two Malta Government Stocks for a total aggregate amount of €120 million subject to an over-allotment option of up to a further €60 million. The two new offerings are the two per cent MGS 2020 (V) FI which last traded at 106.33 per cent the 2.3 per cent MGS 2029 (II) FI which last traded at 102.96 per cent. The offer prices will be determined on Thursday in the afternoon and subscriptions open on Monday.
Meanwhile last Wednesday, Hili Properties published a prospectus in connection with a new €37 million unsecured bond issue at a rate of 4.5 per cent per annum.
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