The share index extended its positive run with a fourth consecutive increase despite a significant drop in trading volumes to just under €110,000.
Today’s marginal uplift in the local equity benchmark was mainly due to the one per cent increase in the share price of HSBC to regain the €2.05 level for the first time since July 2014 on low volumes of 5,172 shares. The bank is scheduled to publish its 2014 full-year results on February 23.
Also in the financial sector, Middlesea Insurance edged 0.6 per cent higher to recapture the €1 level on a single trade of 4,208 shares.
Similarly, the share price of Malita Investments edged 0.3 per cent higher to yet another all-time high of 70c2 on shallow volumes of 6,000 shares.
On the other hand, the equity of Bank of Valletta shed 0.8 per cent back to the €2.08,4 level across 12 deals totalling 26,850 shares. The bank generally issues its interim directors’ statement by mid-February.
Minimal declines were registered in the share prices of GO and Malta International Airport. GO’s equity eased marginally lower to €2.59,9 across five deals totalling 10,000 shares.
Likewise, the share price of the airport operator eased back to the €2.50 level after failing to hold on to an all-time high of €2.54 across three deals totalling 2,200 shares.
Meanwhile, the only other active equity was RS2 Software which ended this morning’s session unchanged at the €2.97 level on a single deal of 763 shares.
On the Alternative Companies List, the share price of Loqus Holdings jumped by 5.7 per cent to regain the 14c9 level for the first time since April 2012 on a single trade of just over 6,000 shares.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index slipped into negative territory for the first time in the last five days with a 0.1 per cent drop back to 1,128.416 points as the benchmark 10-year eurozone yields rebounded to the 0.35 per cent level on increasing hopes that the European Central Bank will provide bridge financing to Greece until it strikes a new deal with its creditors.
The country’s finance minister also vowed to respect EU rules through the process.
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