The share index edged 0.62 per cent higher this morning to 4,546.499 points representing a weekly gain of 0.26 per cent.

Following yesterday’s publication of the 2015 full-year results, RS2 rebounded from its one-month low of €3.72 to an intra-day high of €3.82,8 before easing back to the €3.79,5 level which still represents a two per cent increase over the previous closing price.

A total of 40,065 shares changed hands today – the highest level in over two weeks.

RS2 revealed that its post-tax profits for the year ended December 2015 surged by nearly 70 per cent to €4.87 million compared to €2.88 million in the previous financial year.

The directors recommended a final net dividend of 2c78 per share (2014: 2c22) to all shareholders as at close of trading on May 19(payable on June 30) subject to approval at the upcoming annual general meeting to be held on June 23.

The directors also recommended a bonus share issue of one new share for every 18 shares held (cut-off date: May 19) and a five for three share split (cut-off date: June 30).

Ahead of the publication of the interim financial results covering the six-month period ended March 2016, Bank of Valletta regained the €2.25 level (+1.4 per cent) across 9,255 shares.

This afternoon, the BOV Group reported a net profit of €44.6 million – up 10.9 per cent over the corresponding period last year.

The directors declared an improved gross interim dividend of 3c91 per share (net: 2c54). This is payable on May 27 to those shareholders as at close of trading on May 10.

Also among the large equities by market capitalisation, HSBC (9,090 shares) and International Hotel Investments (17,850 shares) trended higher by 0.6 per cent and 1.6% to close at the €1.62 and €0.65 levels respectively. Yesterday, IHI announced a three for 100 bonus share issue to all shareholders as at the close of trading on June 27.

Yet, the best performing equity today was 6pm Holdings as it climbed 3.8 per cent to a new all-time high of 95p5 across 25,000 shares.

On Wednesday, the group revealed improved results for the 2015 financial year as net profits more than doubled from £0.81 million in 2014 to £1.69 million.

The directors did not recommend the payment of a final dividend in the light of the interest being shown by third party investors in the company.

In this respect, an extraordinary general meeting was held yesterday during which shareholders authorised the board of directors to furnish all the required information, including unpublished price sensitive information, to enable any bona fide offeror(s) and their respective advisors to make, confirm, withdraw or modify an offer to all shareholders in the company.

Conversely, FIMBank plc surrendered some of the recent gains as it retreated by 0.4% to USD0.765 across 12,400 shares. The trade finance specialist is due to hold its Annual General Meeting on 10 May.

Four deals totalling 2,942 shares pulled the equity of Lombard Bank 2.1 per cent lower to a seven-month low of €2.13,5.

On Thursday, Lombard held its annual general meeting during which shareholders approved a number of resolutions including the payment of a final gross dividend of 4c per share (net: 2c6). The dividend will be paid on May 6.

Malta Properties Company retreated 2.1 per cent to the 56c8 level across 67,800 shares.

Meanwhile, Malta International Airport held on to the €4.35 level across 2,372 shares while insignificant volumes left Mapfre Middlesea at the €2.20 level.

On the bond market, the RF MGS Index extended yesterday’s gains by a further 0.09 per cent to 1,147.201 points.

On the economic front, preliminary consumer price inflation in the euro zone in April moved back into negative territory from zero per ce nt in March to a worse than expected -0.2 per cent, underlining concerns over the threat of deflation in the region.

In contrast, growth in the euro zone in the first quarter of the year at 0.6 per cent exceeded economists’ expectations.

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