The share index extended yesterday’s gains by a further 0.37 per cent to 4,579.284 points – the highest level since mid-April 2008 – as four of the 12 active equities traded higher. Trading volumes declined substantially to just €211,000 today.
Bank of Valletta plc climbed to a one-year high of €2.27 (+0.9 per cent) albeit on low volumes totalling 3,890 shares. The deadline for submission of applications in respect of the recently announced BOV €50 million 3.5 per cent Tranche 2 subordinated bonds 2030 issued at par (100 per cent) is on March 18 (or earlier in the case of over-subscription).
RS2 Software continued to trend higher into record territory as it gained a further 1.4 per cent to the €3.90,5 level across 21,601 shares. The equity has been registering new all-time highs for twelve consecutive trading sessions.
Two single deals of just 1,000 shares each pushed the equities of Tigne’ Mall and MaltaPost to new record highs of €1.15 (+16.2 per cent) and €2 (+0.05 per cent) respectively.
On the other hand, FIMBank reversed most of yesterday’s gains as it retreated by 3.8 per cent to the 62c5US level across 90,014 shares. FIMBank will reveal its 2015 full-year results on March 15.
Also in the banking sector, HSBC (3,600 shares) and Lombard Bank (6,950 shares) closed unchanged at €1.62 and €2.18 respectively. Lombard will issue its 2015 financial results on Thursday.
Five other equities traded unchanged. Malta International Airport closed at the €4.50 level for the sixth consecutive session on activity of 5,900 shares.
Shareholders as at close of trading on March 30 will be eligible to receive the final net dividend of 7c per share. This will be payable by May 19 following shareholders’ approval at the annual general meeting to be held on May 4.
Medserv maintained the €1.64,5 level across 7,100 shares. The board of directors is scheduled to meet on today week to consider and approve the financial statements for the year ended December 31.
6PM Holdings (75p), Grand Harbour Marina (90c) and MIDI (36c) also closed flat on shallow volumes.
This morning, GlobalCapital published a prospectus in connection with the recently announced €4.74 million rights issue.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index extended yesterday’s decline by a further 0.14 per cent to 1,141.961 points. In contrast to the bond yields of most other eurozone countries, the yield of the 10-year Spanish government gained ground possibly because of the negative effects on the country’s economy resulting from the prolonged political impasse.
On the economic front, fresh data regarding German industrial production for the month of January came in much better than expected. Nonetheless, bond markets are still expecting the European Central Bank to increase the extent of its current quantitative easing programme at its next policy meeting to be held on Thursday.
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