Trading on the Malta Stock Exchange resumed today after the Christmas break with the MSE Share Index advancing by 0.6% to surpass 3,600 points. The Maltese equity market has gained 12.3% during 2013. The uplift in the Index during the penultimate trading session of the year was mainly due to gains in Bank of Valletta plc, HSBC Bank Malta plc and GO plc.

In the banking sector, Bank of Valletta plc edged 0.7% higher to €2.629 on rising volumes of almost 36,000 shares. BOV’s equity will trade with the entitlement to the 1 for 10 bonus issue until Tuesday 14 January. The share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc traded up to a 1-month high of €2.60 but volumes were low at only 3,050 shares.

GO plc’s equity continued to advance with the share price touching its highest level since February 2011. The share price rose by 2.2% to €1.809 on activity totalling 31,299 shares.

In the IT sector, Crimsonwing plc eased back to the €0.85 level on a single trade of 10,000 shares. RS2 Software plc held on to €2.28 on higher volumes of 35,000 shares with 6pm Holdings plc also maintaining the GBP0.70 level as a further 2,200 shares traded at this level.

Minimal gains were registered in the shares prices of both Island Hotels Group Holdings plc and International Hotel Investments plc. The equity of Island Hotels had a volatile session as it first dropped to €0.85 before recovering back to the €0.90 level on total volumes of 19,500 shares. IHI’s share price edged up to €0.84 on volumes of 7,500 shares.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index dropped by 0.15% to 1,018.361 points as Eurozone yields continued to advance. Bond yields have been rising since the Federal Reserve said that it would shrink its monthly bond purchases as from January.

Next Monday is the final trading day on the Malta Stock Exchange for 2013.