The share index closed 0.4 per cent higher at 4,322.691 points as the positive performance of HSBC and BOV outweighed the 4.7 per cent slump in the equity of FIMBank.
HSBC was the best performing equity of the day as it advanced by 2.8 per cent to the €1.85 level across 43,420 shares.
Also in the banking sector, Bank of Valletta closed marginally higher at €2.36,2 on volumes of 51,516 shares.
Today, the bank announced that its board of directors is scheduled to meet on next Friday to consider and approve the group’s accounts for the financial year ended September 30.
The directors will also consider the declaration of a final dividend to be recommended to shareholders during the upcoming annual general meeting.
Earlier this week, the bank also announced that it obtained approval for a €150 million subordinated debt issuance programme. Further details will be available in due course.
A single trade of just 1,000 shares of Mapfre Middlesea left the equity virtually unchanged at the €2.20,1 level.
In yesterday’s interim directors’ statement, the group revealed that during the third quarter of 2015, premiums and revenues continued to exceed its forecast whilst the group’s investment portfolios registered subdued performances.
The announcement also explained that the statutory solvency position of the group remains strong and well in excess of the regulatory requirements.
FIMBank was the only negative performer of the day as the equity traded for the first time this week and closed 4.7 per cent lower at the 43cUS level across 17,300 shares.
Meanwhile, the three other active equities of the day closed today’s session unchanged on shallow volumes. Malta International Airport closed at the €3.85 level across 2,650 shares.
Moreover, shallow trades in the equities of Lombard Bank and RS2 Software left the equities unchanged at the €2.25 and the €2.49 levels respectively.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index registered the highest jump since late March 2009 as it advanced by 0.7 per cent to a fresh four-month high of 1,144.322 points.
Yields across the eurozone eased dramatically after the European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi, noted that additional monetary stimulus will be unveiled at the ECB’s forthcoming December meeting in order to tackle deflationary pressures across the eurozone.
The benchmark 10-year German Bund yield slipped from yesterday’s 0.57 per cent level to a low of 0.48 per cent today, before marginally recovering to the 0.52 per cent level.
The German two year yield reached a new record low of negative 0.32 per cent whilst the Italian and Spanish counterparts trended below zero for the first time ever.
www.rizzofarrugia.com