The share index slipped 0.3 per cent to 4,194.844 points, as four of the 12 active equities today ended the session in negative territory.
Trading activity across the equity market was very high with €0.86 million worth of trades changing hands. International Hotel Investments was the worst performer of the day as it shed 4.1 per cent to 80c6 on activity totalling 60,393 shares.
HSBC also ended the session lower, slipping 0.6 per cent to the €1.79 level on total volume of 53,300 shares spread across seven trades. The bank is expected to issue its interim results on Monday.
RS2 Software eased by 0.2 per cent to the €2.19,4 level across five trades for a total of 15,500 shares.
Similarly, the share price of Malta International Airport dropped 0.5 per cent to €3.95 after failing to hold on to its intra-day high of €3.99,7.
The airport operator was the most active in terms of trades, as a total of 22 deals were registered during this morning’s trading session, for a total of 68,035 shares.
Yesterday evening the company issued its interim results, which showed a 6.5 per cent rise in revenue and an 8.3 per cent increase in EBITDA.
Pre-tax profits climbed by 9.6 per cent to a new record of €11.4 million. Despite the increase in profitability, the company’s gross interim dividend was yet again unchanged at 4c62 (net 3c) per share for the eighth consecutive year.
The dividend will be paid to shareholders on the register at close of trading August 10.
Meanwhile, two equities closed unchanged. GO maintained the €3.50 level on activity of 27,201 while 6PM Holdings held on to the 76p level on a single deal of 2,000 shares.
On the other hand, the six other active equities closed the day higher. In the banking sector, the USD-denominated shares of FIMBank plc advanced by 2.1 pre cent to the 48cUS level on 7,860 shares with Lombard Bank Malta up 1.5 per cent to the €1.99 level on total volume of 56,094 shares. Lombard Bank is expected to issue its interim results on August 25.
Mapfre Middlesea continued to rise and added a further 1.1 per cent to close at a fresh multi-year high of €2.01,1. Similarly, Simonds Farsons Cisk gained one per cent to yet another fresh all-time high level of €5.20, albeit on continued shallow volumes of 583 shares.
Bank of Valletta plc closed up 0.9 per cent at the €2.30 level on total volume of 70,281 shares while Malita Investments edged 0.6 per cent higher to the 90c5 level on volumes of 20,000 shares. Malita is expected to issue its interim results today.
Meanwhile on the bond market, the RF MGS Index was marginally lower at 1,128.557 points despite the downward trend observed across benchmark European yields.
www.rizzofarrugia.com