The share index trended lower for the third consecutive session with a further 0.1 per cent drop to 4,534.762 points as most of the large equities by market capitalisation eased into negative territory.
Over the week, the local equity benchmark moved only marginally higher to 4,534.762 points on mixed weekly performances across the eight largest equities by market capitalisation listed on the Malta Stock Exchange.
During this morning’s trading session, the share price of Bank of Valletta was forced 0.2 per cent lower back to the €2.26 level across seven deals totalling 19,206 shares. The bank is scheduled to publish its interim results, covering the six months ended March 31, on April 29.
The equities of International Hotel Investments (-1.6 per cent to 63c) and GO (-0.03 per cent to €3.47,9) also trended in negative territory albeit on shallow volumes. This morning, IHI announced that it will be publishing its 2015 full-year results on April 26.
Insignificant volumes were also registered in Medserv with just 1,500 shares changing hands across one deal at the €1.79,1 level representing a 0.5 per cent drop from the previous closing price.
Similarly, MIDI’s equity shed 0.5 per cent back to the 38c8 level on a single transaction of 4,150 shares.
On the other hand, FIMBank gained 1.4 per cent to a fresh 2016 high of 75cUS across 19,000 shares.
Similarly, Malta International Airport edged 0.7 per cent higher to €4.33 across five deals totalling 11,340 shares. The airport operator is scheduled to hold its annual general meeting on May 4.
Meanwhile, HSBC maintained the €1.60 level on very low volumes of 547 shares.
Likewise, Malta Properties Company held on to the 58c level across four deals totalling 22,989 shares.
The only other active equity today was RS2 Software with 260 shares trading unchanged at the €3.80 level ahead of the group’s 2015 full-year results publication next April 28.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index registered its fifth consecutive decline as it slipped by a further 0.2 per cent to yet another five-week low of 1,148.115 points in response to yesterday afternoon’s rally in eurozone yields to around the 0.23 per cent level.
Yesterday afternoon, the European Central Bank announced that it held both its deposit rate (-0.4 per cent) and main refinancing rate (zero per cent) unchanged as some signals indicated that the accommodative monetary policy stance had started to filter through the eurozone’s economy.
Nonetheless, the upside in yields was also capped by Mr Draghi’s pledge to act if necessary especially in view of the growing downside risks as well as the threat of deflation.
Trading in the new 4.25 per cent Corinthia Finance 2026 bonds commenced today with the price rising 450 basis points to 104.5 per cent across a total of €49,700 (nominal).
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