The share Index advanced 0.4 per cent today to 3,244.161 points, as four out of the five active equities traded in positive territory, with the other remaining closing unchanged.

The share price of HSBC increased by 1.4 per cent to close at the €1.87,5, after recovering from an intra-day low of €1.85 across eight deals totalling 23,500 shares.

Similarly, Bank of Valletta closed 0.5 per cent higher to the €2.18 level on activity of 34,473 shares.

Yesterday evening, BOV held its annual general meeting and shareholders approved a number of resolutions including a final net dividend of 6c01 per share (paid today) and a bonus share issue of one share for every 11 held to those shareholders as at close of trading of January 14.

GO and Simonds Farsons Cisk both closed the day 0.4 per cent higher. GO regained the €2.49,9 level, thereby recovering most of the losses during the early part of the week. A total of 22,119 shares were transacted across five trades. Farsons closed at a fresh all-time high of €3.05,1 across shallow volumes of 5,460 shares.

High trading activity took place in Malta International Airport with 66,800 shares changing hands at the €2.30 level.

On the bond market, the RF MGS Index advanced for the fourth consecutive day this week, gaining 0.1 per cent to reach another new record of 1,102.476 points.

Eurozone benchmark yields failed to surpass the 0.6 per cent level, after the US Federal Reserve announced that it is not planning to raise interest rates before next April.

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