During this morning’s trading session, the share index trended higher for the third consecutive session with a further 0.8 per cent increase to reach yet another seven-year high of 4,205.810 points as various equities closed in positive territory.
Most notably, GO shares advanced for the third successive session with a further 0.6 per cent increase to €3.50 on strong volumes of 40,765 shares.
Last Thursday, the company revealed that its majority shareholder Emirates International Telecommunications (EIT) intended to dispose of its 60 per cent shareholding in GO in the ‘short-term’.
On Sunday afternoon, EIT issued a press release explaining that the process of disposing of its stake has just been initiated and therefore it has no yet identified a buyer for its shares. Last week, the quad-play telecoms operator also held an extraordinary general meeting during which shareholders approved all the items on the agenda in connection with the proposed property spin-off.
Malta International Airport also performed positively with the equity advancing by 0.5 per cent to the €3.97 level across seven deals totalling 34,750 shares. Last week, the airport operator revealed record passenger numbers for the first six months of 2015 and upgraded its 2015 passenger growth forecast to +4.6 per cent. MIA is scheduled to publish its interim financial statements later on today.
In the financial sector, the share price of Bank of Valletta edged 0.4 per cent higher to regain the €2.28 level across 24,889 shares.
Similarly, the equity of Mapfre Middlesea ended this morning’s session at the €1.99 level representing a 10.6 per cent uplift from the previous closing price on total volumes of 18,500 shares. However, only 35 shares traded at the closing price while the balance traded in the region of €1.85.
Simonds Farsons Cisk shares also climbed another four per cent to reach yet another fresh all-time high of €5.15 albeit on continued shallow activity of 335 shares.
Low volumes were also traded in International Hotel Investments as the equity edged 1.1 per cent higher to recapture the 84c level on a single trade of 5,000 shares.
The only other positive performing equity was Midi with a 1.5 per cent uplift to the 34c5 level across 30,000 shares. Midi will be publishing their interim financial statements on August 31.
On the other hand, the share price of HSBC retreated by 1.1 per cent back to the €1.80 level on shallow volumes of 8,161 shares.
Similarly, the share price of RS2 Software trended in negative territory today with a 0.1 per cent decline to €2.19,9 as the rebound from the opening price of €2.19 to an intra-day high of €2.25 was short-lived. A total of 75,634 shares changed hands today across 12 deals.
Meanwhile, no changes were recorded in the share prices of Malita Investments and Tigné Mall at 90c and 87c respectively.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged 0.1 per cent higher to 1,129.577 points as benchmark yields across the eurozone drifted marginally lower.
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