After reaching an all-time high of €2.10 on July 5 following the revelation of record passenger numbers during the first six months of 2013, the share price of Malta International Airport plc eased and during this morning’s session, the equity shed a further 1.5 per cent to close at the €2 level for the first time since early June.

A total of 7,600 shares changed hands today with further bids unsatisfied at the closing price and lowest offers at the €2.02 level.

The share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc also eased 0.3 per cent lower today back to the €2.74 level also on low volumes of 7,300 shares. Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta plc edged 0.4 per cent higher to €2.28 across six trades totalling 17,550 shares.

Similarly, fresh demand lifted the share price of GO plc 0.7 per cent higher to regain the €1.54 level across five deals totalling 6,486 shares.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index moved back into positive territory with a 0.1 per cent increase to a new all-time high of 1,026.728 points as the Central Bank of Malta Stockbroker raised its bid prices.

Internationally, markets await the testimony of US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to the US Congress to gauge the US central bank’s propositions on its stimulus measures and interest rates.

In the meantime, the benchmark 10-year Eurozone yield surged to the 1.585 per cent level by this afternoon following the publication of the minutes of the latest monetary policy meeting of the Bank of England which revealed that no member supported the expansion of the current bond purchase programme of the UK Central Bank.

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