Yesterday's session at the Malta Stock Exchange saw more dealing activity than the previous day, with trades being registered in just three components and the total number of deals amounting to 16. The MSE Index declined slightly to close at 3,302 points when the only positive close registered in Grand Harbour Marina was not enough to balance declines in the two largest banking equities.

Grand Harbour Marina jumped 7.03 per cent or 13c when 1,251 shares were dealt over a single transaction to close at €1.98, which works out to a market capitalisation of €19.8 million. At the end of the day 2,000 shares were best bid at €1.75 against a supply of 4,349 shares at €1.98.

HSBC Bank Malta suffered a decline of 1c or 0.35 per cent as 2,950 shares were sold across four trades down to the €2.85 level.

Bank of Valletta was the most active and liquid listing, with 8,760 shares being exchanged across 11 deals. This resulted in the equity trading to an intra-day high of €3.59c8, only to close marginally lower with the last trade of the day at €3.59c1. This represents a discount of 0c8 or 0.22 per cent over the previous closing price.

In the fixed interest sector of the market, activity was spread across three corporate bonds and five government stocks. The 6.7 per cent Tumas Investments 2010/12 attracted the highest turnover, with 91,242 nominal, pushing the price higher by 1.45 per cent to €101.50. The highest percentage decrease in the local bond market was registered in the 4.8 per cent MGS 2016 (II) as 10,000 nominal were swapped at a price of €105.03, therefore trading lower by 0.75 per cent.

This article has been prepared by Bank of Valletta p.l.c. (the Bank), which is licensed to conduct investment services business by the MFSA, for your general information only. This information is not a solicitation or offer by the Bank to acquire or sell securities. Nor does it constitute any form of advice by the Bank. Appropriate advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance and the value of your investments may fall or rise.