In a company announcement issued yesterday, the Board of Directors of HSBC Bank Malta plc approved the interim accounts for the six months ended June 30.
These show an Operating Income figure of Lm29,832,000 (June 2003: Lm26,583,000), profit attributable to shareholders of Lm13,211,000 (June 2003: Lm8,454,000), and earnings per share of 36c2 (June 2003: 23c2). The board also approved a payment of a gross dividend of 19c4 together with a special dividend of 35c4 per share marking the fifth anniversary of HSBC Bank Malta plc, giving a total gross interim dividend of 54c8 per share.
Trading in HSBC shares opened at Lm6.57 on Monday and closed at Lm7.063 yesterday after increasing a staggering 49c3 (7.5 per cent) during the week mainly being brought about as a result of the above mentioned company announcement. Fifty deals were struck in HSBC shares this week, in which 64,879 shares changed hands. Following yesterday's session best bids of 4,140 shares at Lm7.063 and best offers of 1,100 shares at Lm7.10 remained outstanding.
In a company announcement issued on Monday the Board of Directors of Bank of Valletta stated that they had approved the new role titles for the bank's top executives following the appointment of Tonio Depasquale as chief executive officer. These being Tony Camilleri as Chief Officer in Investments, John Cassar White as chief officer in Credit and Finance, Joseph M. Formosa as chief officer in Mortgages, and Igino Xuereb as chief officer in Operations.
Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta shares opened trading at Lm3.50 and after initially falling by 5c to reach Lm3.45 on Thursday, it increased by 4c on the final day of trading for the week to close at Lm3.49 yesterday. Weekly turnover amounted to 72,531 shares changing hands over 43 deals. Following the end of yesterday's session, 37 shares at Lm3.30 and 5,000 shares at Lm3.489 were the best outstanding bids and offers respectively.
Maltacom shares opened the week at Lm1.36 and closed yesterday's session at Lm1.40, representing an overall increase in share price of 4c. 45,820 shares changed hands in total over 35 deals. As yesterday's session drew to a close 2,500 shares at Lm1.38 and 5,211 shares at Lm1.40 were the best unsatisfied bids and offers respectively.
The other equities which traded during the week appear below followed the range in which trading took place; 4,196 Lombard Bank shares at Lm4.10; 2,545 Middlesea Insurance shares at Lm2.128; 71,566 International Hotels Investment shares between €0.765 and €0.76; 14,500 Malta International Airport shares between Lm0.87 and Lm0.849.
Total Malta Government Stock turnover amounted to a nominal value of Lm588,100 being traded in 59 deals over 17 different stocks. Of these, Lm396,100 took place in the recently listed 5 per cent MGS 2021 between Lm101.15 and Lm100.89. Trading over the week in Corporate Bonds was made up of a total value of Lm129,720.
The Malta Stock Exchange Index increased by 78.792 points or 3.04 per cent over the week and now stands at 2667.016.