Following three consecutive sessions of increases, the share index slipped back into negative territory with a 0.8 per cent drop back to 4,517.987 points largely due to the slump in HSBC’s share price.

A further three equities, including BOV and RS2, ended the session lower while Medserv, Lombard, MIDI and Malta Properties trended higher. Elevated trading volumes were registered during this morning’s session with €0.53 million worth of shares exchanged.

Over the week, the local equity benchmark slipped 0.7% largely due to the 5.8% weekly slump in HSBC.

The share price of HSBC plunged 5.3% during this morning’s session back to the €1.80 level across six deals totalling 26,800 shares.

Similarly, the share price of Bank of Valletta trended in negative territory with a marginal decline to €2.30,9 after partially rebounding from an intra-day low of €2.30 across 10 deals totalling 42,769 shares. The equity of BOV will continue to trade with the entitlement to the final gross dividend of 8c52 (net: 5c54) until November 14.

RS2 Software shares retreated by 1.9% back to the €1.58 level across 19 deals totalling 74,652 shares. RS2 is the best performer this week with a rise of 5.3%.

The only other negative performing equity today was Simonds Farsons Cisk with a 0.2% drop to €6.50 across 21,402 shares.

On the other hand, the share price of Lombard Bank Malta advanced by 3.8% to €2.18 on a single trade of 1,017 shares.

Similarly, Medserv edged minimally higher to close at the €1.50 level on low volumes of 13,580 shares.

In the property segment, MIDI trended 4.6% higher to recapture the 34c level on volumes of 86,500 shares whilst Malta Properties Company recaptured the 60c level, representing a 3.5% increase from the previous closing price, across a single deal of 5,000 shares.

The only other active equity today was GO as it retained the €3.21,9 level on volumes of 21,500 shares.

On the bond market, the RF MGS Index trended lower for the fourth successive day with a further 0.1% drop to 1,169.915 points as the benchmark 10-year Eurozone yields slipped marginally lower back to the 0.14% level.

Trading in the 2.1% MGS 2039 is expected early next week.

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