Trading on the Stock Exchange resumed today with the share index closing 0.21 per cent higher at 4,517.791 points. Trading was spread across 12 equities - seven registered gains, three suffered declines whilst another two shares closed unchanged. Total value traded on the equity market amounted to €266,000.

Following the publication of the 2015 financial results yesterday, the equity of Midi plc gained 2.8 per cent to a four-month high of 37c across 125,000 shares.

The company registered a record post-tax profit figure of €9.92 million. For the first time since going public, Midi also declared a final net dividend of 0.7c per share. This is payable on May 27 to all shareholders as at close of trading on April 7, subject to shareholders’ approval at an annual general meeting to be held on May 12.

RS2 Software continued to recover as it closed in positive territory for the sixth consecutive trading session. The equity advanced 0.5 per cent to the €3.72 level across 16,477 shares.

Likewise, FIMBank closed 1.4 per cent higher at the 73c5US level – the highest since late April 2014 – across 12,635 shares. Shareholders as at the close of trading on April 6 will be eligible to the one-for-25 bonus issue, subject to regulatory as well as shareholders’ approval.

Malta International Airport rebounded by 1.8 per cent to the €4.49 level across light volumes totalling 1,188 shares. Shareholders as at close of trading tomorrow will be eligible to receive the recently declared final gross dividend of 10c7692 per share (net: 7c per share).

Relatively volatile trading took place in the equity of Medserv. Indeed, the equity dropped to an intra-day low of €1.59 (-3.6 per cent) before settling at its highest for day at €1.70 (+3 per cent). A total of 4,751 shares changed hands today.

A single deal of 10,000 shares pushed the equity of 6PM Holdings 3.9 per cent higher to an all-time high of 80p. Yesterday, the company revealed that third parties have shown an interest in the acquisition of shares currently held by shareholders holding a substantial shareholding in 6PM.

Subject to the satisfactory conclusion of a due diligence exercise, it is the intention of such interested parties to launch a voluntary bid for the acquisition of all the issued share capital of the company.

An extraordinary general meeting will be held for shareholders to consider whether to furnish in confidence such information including unpublished price-sensitive information as may be necessary to enable the bona fide offerors, the bona fide transferors and their advisers to make, confirm, withdraw or modify any offer, in accordance with the provisions of the Listing Rules. Further information shall be made available by the company in due course.

Simonds Farsons Cisk gained 0.7 per cent to the €6.04 level on insignificant volumes.

Low volumes were also traded in the equity of GO. The quad-play telecoms operator maintained its five-month high of €3.45.

Two deals totalling 6,515 shares left the equity of International Hotel Investments unchanged at its one-year low of 64c.

In the banking sector, Lombard Bank Malta and Bank of Valletta both finished the day lower. Lombard declined by 1.8 per cent to the €2.21 level across 10,600 shares while BOV retreated back to the €2.25 level (-0.8 per cent) across 18,965 shares.

Last week, Lombard announced that it has been notified by the special administrator of Cyprus Popular Bank Public Co Ltd (CPB), which in turn has a 48.9 per cent stake in Lombard, that it has approved the disposal of CPB’s entire shareholding in the bank.

Malta Properties Company shed another 0.5 per cent to the 56c level across 23,722 shares. On Tuesday, MPC announced that it has been approached by a third party with proposals for a potential mixed-use development that would incorporate the company’s St George's Exchange site in St Julian’s.

The company’s board of directors will make additional announcements in such regards as and when necessary.

On the bond market, the RF MGS Index jumped by 0.21 per cent to 1,154.680 points – the highest reading since early May 2015.

Downward pressure on eurozone bond yields mounted as the further decline in the price of oil outweighed positive data which showed that lending to the private sector in the eurozone continued to accelerate.

The 10-year benchmark German Bund yield slid to a low of 0.14 per cent today from 0.18 per cent last Thursday.

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