During the first trading session of the week, the equity of Bank of Valletta advanced by one per cent to regain its 2015 high of €2.10 on continued high volumes totalling 85,308 shares.
Likewise, Malta International Airport increased to a fresh all-time high of €2.54,9 before easing back to the €2.53 level which still represents a 0.4 per cent increase from the previous closing price. A total of 4,230 shares were exchanged across six trades ahead of the publication of full-year results on February 24.
Plaza Centres also closed in positive territory with a 5.6 per cent jump to 75c - its highest level since early June 2012. A total of 27,600 shares changed hands today. The company is scheduled to publish its 2014 full-year results on March 18.
The only other positive performing equity was Simonds Farsons Cisk with a 1.6 per cent rise to a fresh all-time high of €3.12 albeit on a single trade of 2,321 shares.
On the other hand, the equity of HSBC eased 0.8 per cent back to the €1.98,5 level across seven trades totalling 12,578 shares. The bank is scheduled to publish its 2014 preliminary results on February 23.
Also in the financial sector, the share price of FIMBank lost 9.3 per cent to a fresh all-time low of 49cUS on volumes of 29,119 shares. The equity of the trade finance specialist has slumped 18.3 per cent since the start of 2015 in addition to the 32.3 per cent slide suffered in 2014 reflecting the significant impairments that impacted the group’s financial statements. The extent of such impairments will be revealed once the financial statements are published on March 11.
Similarly, the share price of International Hotel Investments retreated by 0.6 per cent back to the 61c6 level on a single trade of 620 shares.
Likewise, Middlesea Insurance eased minimally lower to 99c4 on just 993 shares.
GO’s share price held on to the €2.65 level across three deals totalling 8,800 shares. Likewise, MaltaPost traded unchanged at the equity’s all-time high of €1.35 across a single trade. In the interim directors’ statement published last week, it was noted that the company’s performance since the start of its current financial year on October 1 has improved over the previous comparable period.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index eased minimally lower to 1,028.061 points with 10-year benchmark Eurozone yields maintaining the 0.35 per cnet level ahead of a meeting between eurozone’s finance ministers to discuss a restructured debt package for Greece. In this respect, France has already hinted that the bloc should ease its stance against Greece and respect the political changes that recently materialised the Mediterranean country.
Last week, the Treasury announced two new issues for a total of €120 million subject to an over-allotment option of up to a further €60 million. The new issues are a fungible issue of the two per cent MGS 2020 (V) and a new 25-year bond, the three per cent MGS 2040. The offer prices of the two issues will be announced on Thursday in the afternoon and the offer period for retail investors closes on February 25.
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