The equities of the three retail banks listed on the Malta Stock Exchange advanced during this morning’s session helping the MSE Share Index rise by 0.3% to 3,681.27 points.
The share price of Bank of Valletta plc gained for the fourth consecutive session with a further 0.4% increase to €2.45 (equivalent to a pre-bonus price of €2.695) on sustained volumes of 37,586 shares. This morning, the Malta Stock Exchange announced that the 30 million new shares issued in connection with the 1 for 10 bonus issue were admitted to the Official List with effect from today. Trading in these new shares was also permitted as from today.
Similarly, the equity of HSBC Bank Malta plc reversed some of last week’s 1.9% decline with a 0.8% increase from the previous close to recapture the €2.57 level across increased activity totalling 40,142 shares. Lombard Bank Malta plc climbed by 2.6% to regain the €1.90 level across four deals totalling 14,180 shares.
The only other positive performing equity was GO plc with a 0.5% rise to the €1.849 level on a single deal of 5,000 shares.
On the other hand, Malta International Airport plc retreated by 1.4% back to the €2.15 level on a deal of 2,000 shares. In the coming weeks, the airport operator is expected to publish its 2013 traffic results confirming that passenger movements have exceeded a record 4 million movements. MIA is also expected to issue its traffic forecast for 2014.
Similarly, the share price of RS2 Software plc eased 0.4% lower to the €2.29 level on weak volumes of 3,995 shares.
Meanwhile, no change was registered in the share price of MaltaPost plc at the €1.15 level across 5,000 shares. The postal operator is due to pay out the final net dividend of €0.04 per share on 25 January.
The only other active equity was 6pm Holdings plc with 10,600 shares trading unchanged at the GBP0.719 level.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged 0.1% higher to yet another 5-month high of 1,027.126 points as Eurozone yields continued to ease lower to just below the 1.75% level. Benchmark yields in Europe remained under pressure after China’s economic growth slowed to an almost 14-year low. Meanwhile, the international rating agency Moody’s upgraded Ireland’s credit rating from ‘Baa3’ (considered as below investment grade or junk status) to ‘Ba1’ (which falls under the investment grade category) with a positive outlook. The upgrade was granted on the back of Ireland's growth potential and its return to the bond markets.
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