Healthy demand increased the price of International Hotels Investment (IHI) by €0.12 (13.636 per cent) during the current week's trading. Trading opened on Monday at E0.88 and closed the week yesterday at €1. In the interim, the price of the equity reached a weekly high of E1.02. Trading for the week consisted of 245,889 shares changing hands over 77 deals. Following the close of business yesterday, best unsatisfied bids for 1,700 shares at €0.96 stood against best unsatisfied offers of 1,500 shares at €1.
Bank of Valletta's share opened the week at Lm3.94,9 on Monday, ranged between Lm3.77,9 and Lm4 before closing at Lm3.92 yesterday. Total turnover for the week amounted to 290,518 shares bringing the total volume transacted in BoV to Lm1,130,892. These shares changed hands in 426 deals. Best bids for 2,920 shares at Lm3.90 and best offers of 450 shares at Lm3.93 were the best outstanding positions after yesterday's session came to an end.
HSBC's solid performance continued this week, with further gains being registered in the share's price. Opening at Lm8.80 on Monday, the price went up by 19c6 during the week to close yesterday's trading session at Lm8.99,6. During the week, the price of this equity ranged between Lm8.79,9 and Lm9.19,9, the latter being the highest price ever recorded by the bank. Total turnover for the week amounted to 48,398 shares changing hands over 130 deals. At the end of yesterday's trading session, best unsatisfied bids for 78 shares at Lm8.95 stood against best unsatisfied offers of 347 shares at Lm8.99,9.
Following the latest announcements made with respect to the progress achieved so far in the privatisation process of Maltacom plc, the relevant shares experienced an impressive week, increasing by 7.949 per cent (15c5) to close yesterday's session at Lm2.10,5. Monday's opening price was Lm1.95. During the week, the price of this equity reached a weekly high of Lm2.29,3. A total of 298,538 shares changed hands during the week, spread over 265 deals. Best bids for 3,544 shares at Lm2.10,5 and best offers of 5,000 shares at Lm2.15 remained unsatisfied as yesterday's session drew to a close.
An increase of 5c was registered over the week in Malta International Airport's share price, as trading in the equity opened at Lm1.55 on Monday and closed at Lm1.60 yesterday. During the current trading week, the price of the equity reached a weekly high of Lm1.62. A total of 636,806 shares changed hands during the week over 55 deals. Of these, 528,067 shares changed hands in one single deal. Following the close of business yesterday, best bids for 1,865 shares at Lm1.58 and best offers of 3,800 at Lm1.62 remained outstanding.
The other equities which traded during the week, followed by the range in which trading took place, are: 7,500 Lombard Bank shares between Lm8.67 and Lm9; 6,347 Middlesea Insurance shares between Lm4.19,9 and Lm4.20; 5,977 Simonds Farsons Cisk shares between 85c and 86c; 21,288 Plaza Centres shares between 66c and 70c; 33,800 FIMBank shares between US$2 and US$2.08; 100 Global Financial Services shares at Lm1.25 and 11,173 Datatrak shares at 31c.
Total Malta government stock turnover amounted to a nominal value of Lm440,900 being traded in 48 deals over 17 different stocks. Trading over the week in corporate bonds was made up of a total value of Lm75,929.
The Malta Stock Exchange share index increased by 135.93 points or 2.6 per cent over the week and now stands at 5,431.991.
Azzopardi Investment Management Limited is licensed by the MFSA to provide investment services, including stockbroking. The directors or related parties, including the company, and their clients, are likely to have an interest in securities mentioned. This article is only meant to provide information and is not intended to give investment advice. The value of securities, and the currencies in which they are denominated, may go down as well as up. Report by Azzopardi Investment Management Limited, tel. 2131 3100, fax. 2131 8897. www.azzopardi.com