Investors remained on the side lines today with only four trades transacted in Bank of Valletta plc shares on the stock exchange ahead of the scurry of interim results expected to be published by the end of the month.

In fact, Lombard Bank Malta plc will publish its half-yearly figure on Thursday followed by International Hotel Investments plc a day after.

MIDI plc will kick off next week with the publication of its six-monthly figures on Monday followed by FIMBank plc today week and Grand Harbour Marina on August 29.

GO plc and Medserv plc will round up the local interim reporting season on August 31. RS2 Software plc and GlobalCapital plc are also expected to publish their half-year results by the end of August but have not yet announced a date.

On the local equity market, BOV failed to hold on to the €2.15 level as new sell orders forced the equity 1.9% back to the €2.11 level across four trades totalling 1,308 shares.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index moved 0.1% higher to 995.371 points as the Central Bank of Malta Stockbroker raised its bid prices for the local government paper despite an increase in benchmark eurozone yields which regained the 1.55% level.

The benchmark German Bund yields edged higher today as markets speculate over the details related to the proposed bond buying by the European Central Bank (ECB) to contain borrowing costs of ailing countries such as Spain and Italy.

Locally, over €13 million worth of Malta Government Stocks (MGS) changed hands during this morning's session for the first time in a month. The majority were traded in the 6.45% MGS 2014 (II); the 6.10% MGS 2015; the 5.25% MGS 2030 (I) and the 5.2% MGS 2031 (I).

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