High volatility and robust volumes pushed the MSE Share Index 0.69% higher to an eight-month high of 4,601.238 point.
Activity centred around International Hotel Investments which, at one point, touched an intra-day two-year low of 49c5 (-19.2%) before rebounding strongly to finish the day 6% higher at 65c.
A total of 350,556 shares changed hands – representing 31% of the total value of equities traded which today amounted to an over six-week high of €0.67 million.
Also among the larger companies by market cap, GO advanced 0.6% to a new seven-month high of €3.28 across 12,500 shares.
Positive movements were also registered in the share prices of four other equities. FIMBank recaptured the 86cUS level (+1.2%) across 45,000 shares whilst Simonds Farsons Cisk edged 1.4% higher to the €7 level on volumes totalling 3,879 shares.
Two deals totalling 2,794 shares lifted the equity of Mapfre Middlesea 4.7% higher to a fresh one-month high of €2.22.
Malita Investments continued to trade within a tight range as it gained 0.9% to the 85c9 level across 7,000 shares.
In contrast, Plaza Centres plc eased by 1.1% to €1.09 on volumes totalling 51,500 shares.
In the retail banking sector, HSBC and Bank of Valletta both suffered declines today. HSBC eased minimally to the €1.91 level (-0.1%) across 33,641 shares whilst BOV closed 0.8% lower at the €2.25 level after hitting an intra-day low of €2.23 (-1.7%) on healthy volumes totalling 60,997 shares.
The equity of BOV will continue trading with the entitlement to the one for 13 bonus issue until January 12.
Medserv slipped 3.1% to a one-month low of €1.59,9 across 16,250 shares.
Meanwhile, Malta International Airport maintained the €4.05 level across 15,082 shares. On Tuesday, the airport operator issued a press release to announce that it has reached the 5 million passenger movement mark which is a new record for MIA.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index partly erased yesterday’s dip as it rebounded by 0.05% to 1,153.030 points.
Euro zone sovereign bond yields were back in negative territory today (bond prices went up) as yesterday’s surge in reaction to comments made by the head of the German Central Bank Mr Jens Weidmann that the European Central Bank is risking letting its monetary policy run too loose in the face of rising inflation proved short-lived. Indeed, the 10-year benchmark German Bund yield slipped back to 0.23% today from a high of 0.28% yesterday.
Week-on-week, the RF MGS Index gained 0.62% – the sharpest uplift in nine weeks. Nonetheless, it is still 2.5% lower than its all-time high of 1,182.272 points reached on 24 October 2016.
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