The Malta Stock Exchange Share Index this week went slightly down from the value of 1,920.612 registered last Friday to 1,915.317, ending the week 5.335 points lower. This was attributed to decreases in the share prices of GloBAl Financial Services Group (4.762 per cent), Bank of Valletta (0.379 per cent), and Maltacom (0.262 per cent), which subdued the increases in the share price of HSBC (0.38 per cent) and International Hotel Investments (0.223 per cent).
Bank of Valletta shares started trading this week with five deals being struck on Tuesday, during which session 1,883 shares changed hands. Trading opened at Lm2.64, went down to Lm2.601 before going up again to close the session at Lm2.62, two cents lower than the previous closing price.
The following day saw three deals being struck over which 4,100 shares changed hands. After opening at Lm2.60, the session closed at Lm2.63, registering a gain of one cent on the previous closing price.
On Thursday, all trading took place at Lm2.64. Five deals were struck in all, in which 2,858 shares changed hands. Yesterday, 10 of the 20 deals carried out in the equity market took place in Bank of Valletta shares. As trading opened, 6,668 shares changed hands at Lm2.64 closing at Lm2.63. At the close of business yesterday, best bids for 200 shares at Lm2.63 and best offers of 3,684 shares at Lm2.64 remained unsatisfied.
Monday's trading session saw relatively high trading carried out in Maltacom shares. Thirteen deals were struck during the session, which closed at Lm1.14, one cent lower than the previous closing price - 14,268 shares were traded that day. Tuesday saw the relevant share price open at Lm1.121, before climbing up to close the day at Lm1.14.
Three deals were struck, over which 8,471 shares changed hands. Wednesday's session opened at Lm1.121 as well. This time there was no recovery however, as the price went down to end the session at Lm1.112, down by 2c8. 4,800 shares changed hands, spanning seven deals.
Thursday saw the share price make up for the lost ground, as trading opened at Lm1.13 and closed at Lm1.14. Five deals were struck, over which 4,708 shares changed hands. Another five deals were struck yesterday; 2,700 shares were traded during the session, which opened at Lm1.14, touched the Lm1.15 mark briefly before going down again to close at Lm1.14. As yesterday's session drew to a close, best bids for 1,300 shares at Lm1.112 were left outstanding, while best offers of 1,063 shares at Lm1.15 were still unsatisfied.
HSBC shares opened the week on a positive note when, on Monday, trading closed at Lm3.97, up by two cents on the previous closing price.
Three deals were struck, over which 3,780 shares changed hands. The situation remained unchanged on Tuesday after 3,200 shares changed hands over six deals. Trading opened at Lm3.96 and closed at Lm3.97. Two deals were struck on Wednesday, over which 1,020 shares changed hands. No movement was registered during this session, as trading opened and closed at Lm3.97. The shares did not trade on Thursday, while yesterday's session saw them lose 0c5 on the closing price after a single deal for 1,000 shares was struck at Lm3.965. Following the trading session, 125 shares at Lm3.90 and 1,000 shares at Lm3.97 were the best outstanding bids and offers respectively.
The other equities to trade during the week were GloBAl Financial Services Group plc, which saw a total of three deals being struck between Lm0.20 and Lm0.21, over which 3,500 shares changed hands; International Hotels Investments plc, which saw seven deals being struck between Lm0.898 and Lm0.90, over which 21,773 shares changed hands; Plaza Centres plc, in which 5,800 shares changed hands over five deals struck between Lm0.70 and Lm0.71 and the six per cent Simonds Farsons Cisk plc Preference Shares, which saw two deals being struck at Lm10.10, over which 158 shares changed hands.
Trading over the week in Corporate Bonds was made up of the following:
¤ Two deals struck in the 6.15 per cent Bank of Valletta 2010, in which a nominal value of Lm12,300 changed hands between Lm103 and Lm 103.25.
¤ Two deals struck in the eight per cent Bank of Valletta 2010 (USD), in which a nominal value of $37,500 changed hands at $110.15.
¤ Two deals struck in the 6.5 per cent CC Car Parks 2006, in which a nominal value of Lm4,300 changed hands at Lm102.90.
¤ Two deals struck in the 6.5 per cent Corinthia Finance 2010 (EUR), in which a nominal value of €8,000 changed hands at €99.49.
¤ Three deals struck in the 6.75 per cent Corinthia Finance 2012, in which a nominal value of Lm6,300 changed hands between Lm102.50 and Lm103.25.
¤ Four deals struck in the 6.5 per cent Gasan Finance 2006/9, in which a nominal value of Lm5,500 changed hands between Lm100 and Lm102.
¤ Three deals struck in the 7.25 per cent HSBC 2005, in which a nominal value of Lm15,500 changed hands at Lm104.90.
¤ One deal struck in the Malta Government Privatisation Bonds, in which a nominal value of Lm2,000 changed hands at Lm102.
¤ Five deals struck in the 6.7 per cent Mizzi Finance 2009/12, in which a nominal value of Lm40,000 changed hands between Lm103.35 and Lm103.
¤ Thirteen deals struck in the 6.7 per cent Tumas Investments 2010/12, in which a nominal value of Lm50,000 changed hands between Lm100 and Lm101.
¤ One deal struck in the 7.5 per cent Hotel San Antonio 2012, in which a nominal value of Lm500 shares changed hands at Lm99.80.
Total Malta Government Stock turnover over the week amounted to a nominal value of Lm1,223,400, struck in 48 deals over 17 different stocks. Of particular note, a nominal value of Lm966,000 were struck in seven deals in the 6.1 per cent MGS 2015 between Lm104.40 and Lm 103.78.