Further demand for the equity of Malta International Airport plc emerged during this morning’s trading session lifting the share price to a new all-time high of €1.94 before easing marginally lower to close at the €1.93,9 level (+1.5 per cent over the previous closing price).
A total of 24,160 shares changed hands today across five deals with the equity still carrying the entitlement to the final gross dividend of 6c15 per share. The equity turns ex-dividend as from Wednesday.
The share price of Bank of Valletta plc also hit an intra-day high of €2.27 on a fresh wave of bids before easing back to the €2.25,1 level which is just above yesterday’s closing price.
Over 90,800 shares changed hands today with the increased volumes possibly as a result of the publication of the half-year results due on April 25.
Plaza Centres plc also ended in positive territory today with a 7.3 per cent jump to regain the 59c level on low volumes of 4,000 shares.
The equity is still trading with the entitlement to the final gross dividend of 3c75 per share and will turn ex-dividend as from April 29.
Meanwhile, GO plc’s equity ended in negative territory for the first time since turning ex-dividend last week. This morning GO’s share price slumped to an intra-day low of €1.52 before recovering most of this initial decline to end this morning’s session 0.3 per cent lower at the €1.58 level. Activity increased to 66,300 shares today.
No change was registered in the share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc as it managed to hold on to the €2.74 level after recovering from an intra-day low of €2.70,8 across 6,841 shares.
Similarly, RS2 Software plc traded unchanged at its all-time high of €1 across 5,867 shares ahead of the publication of the 2012 financial results expected by the end of this month.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index regained its upward trend with a marginal increase to 1,020.132 points reflecting this morning’s dip in Eurozone yields back to below the 1.3 per cent level on renewed concerns relating to the possible contagion from the Cyprus bailout to the rest of the eurozone.
From initial indications, Cyprus will need to raise a further €6 billion as the bailout has risen to €23 billion. Amongst the options to cover this shortfall, Cyprus can sell part of its gold reserves and enforce higher levies on bank depositors and creditors.