BOV's share price reacted positively today to this news that Bank of Valletta had sailed through the EU's stress tests. The equity added 1.5% to regain the €2.70 level.

BOV also announced today that it would not be appealing the administrative penalties imposed by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) on the Bank and its wholly owned subsidiary Valletta Fund Management (VFM) in relation to the La Valette Multi-Manager Property Fund. BOV stated that the number of acceptances in the buy-back offer increased to 98% of the investors in the fund.

In other trading, shares in RS2 Software plc reached a fresh 8-month high of €0.54 across three trades totalling 33,000 shares. Bids remain outstanding at the €0.53 level with few offers at the closing price.

The only other active equity, Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, closed unchanged at the €1.70 level on a single trade of 1,000 shares. However offers are already placed minimally lower at the €1.699 level.

On the bond market, Eurozone yields dropped back to the 2.65% level this morning as the EU-wide bank stress test results published last Friday failed to calm down concerns with respect to the region's sovereign debt crisis. This downturn led the Central Bank of Malta Stockbroker to raise its Malta Government Stock bid prices. The highest increase of 43 basis points was registered in the 5.25% MGS 2030 (I) to 102.59% level. Overall, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged 0.2% higher to 981.753 points.