The MSE Share Index dropped into negative territory again with a decline of 0.5% to 4,503.824 points as five of the eleven active equities ended this morning’s session lower whilst the other closed unchanged.
In the financial sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc eased by 0.5% back to the €1.85 level across four deals totalling 17,463 shares. Similarly, FIMBank plc slumped 4.5% back to the USD0.85 level on a single trade of 24,000 shares. Mapfre Middlesea plc also performed negatively with a 2.2% drop back to the €2.20 level on insignificant volumes of 144 shares.
Simonds Farsons Cisk plc eased by 0.8% back to the €6.55 level across 14,173 shares.
The only other negative performing equity was MaltaPost plc with a 1.6% drop to €1.85 on a single deal of just 1,500 shares.
Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta plc maintained the €2.26 level as a further 24,200 shares changed hands. The Bank is scheduled to hold its Annual General Meeting on 16 December during which shareholders will be asked to approve a number of resolutions including the final gross dividend of €0.0852 per share (net: €0.0554) as well as a 1 for 13 bonus share issue.
Likewise, Lombard Bank Malta plc held on to the €2.101 level on low volumes of 4,674 shares.
RS2 Software plc recovered from a low of €1.53 to close the day unchanged at the €1.55 level across 34,312 shares while Malta International Airport plc maintained the €4.08 level on low activity of 1,220 shares.
A single trade of 7,000 Medserv plc shares was executed at the €1.47 level, unchanged from the previous closing price.
The only other active equity was Malita Investments plc as 55,000 shares traded at the €0.85 level, unchanged from the previous closing price.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index trended higher for the third consecutive day with a rise of a further 0.2% to 1,149.978 points as Eurozone yields continued to retreat.
In fact, the benchmark 10-year German yield slipped to an intra-day low of 0.264% this morning possibly triggered by the Bank of Japan’s launch of its own asset purchase programme and related warning that it will not allow yields to continue following a similar upward movement being registered across US yields. However, by this afternoon, the benchmark 10-year German yield rebounded to the 0.3% level after US Federal Reserve Chairperson Janet Yellen indicated the Bank’s reluctance to delay interest rate hikes “for too long”.
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