The share index trended higher for the second consecutive session this week with an increase of a further 0.4 per cent to yet another seven-year high of 4,514.636 points largely reflecting the uplift in the share price of Malta International Airport.

MIA’s equity advanced by 1.3 per cent to regain its all-time high of €4.05 albeit on shallow volumes of 600 shares

Yesterday the airport operator published its November traffic results revealing a 10.6 per cent increase in passenger movements to 283,511 passengers on the back of a 9.4 per cent rise in seat capacity as well as an improved seat load factor of 81.3 per cent compared to 80 per cent in November 2014.

During the 11-month period between January and November, MIA registered a 7.6 per cent increase in passenger movements when compared to the same period last year on the back of a 5.6 per cent increase in seat capacity. In July, MIA had revised upwards its passenger forecast for 2015 to +4.6 per cent to an estimated throughput of 4.5 million passengers.

Similarly, Malita Investments regained its all-time high of 99c across a single trade of 2,000 shares.

Also in the property sector, the share price of Malta Properties Company jumped 7.7 per cent higher to regain the 56c level also on low volumes of 12,700 shares.

Mapfre Middlesea also closed in positive territory with an eight per cent jump to the €2.29 level on volumes of 7,850 shares.

On the other hand, following last week’s 1.7 per cent drop, GO's share price shed a further 1.7 per cent to the €2.90,1 level across seven deals totalling 42,040 shares.

The equity of RS2 Software also trended lower during today’s session with a 0.6 per cent decline from its all-time high of €3.12 back to the €3.10 level on a single trade of 25,000 shares.

The only other negative performing equity was FIMBank as its share released some of the recent gains with a marginal 0.7 per cent drop back to the 70cUS level.

Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta maintained the €2.33,5 level after the equity rebounded from an intra-day low of €2.30,5 across eight deals totalling just below 12,000 shares.

The bank is scheduled to hold its annual general meeting on December 17 during which shareholders will be asked to approve a number of resolutions including those related to the dividend and bonus share issue as well as the election of six directors from the seven nominees.

Among the large cap equities, International Hotel Investments also closed this morning’s session unchanged at the 81c5 level across a single trade of 2,069 shares.

Medserv shares also closed today’s session unchanged at the €2.12 level after failing to hold on to its all-time high of €2.17 on very low volumes of 1,649 shares.

Today the Malta Stock Exchange confirmed the issuance of 20 million new shares pursuant to four for fivebonus issue following approval by shareholders during the recent extraordinary general meeting held last Thursday. The company distributed the recently declared net interim dividend of 8c per share.

MaltaPost continued to trade at the €1.97 level on shallow activity of 3,753 shares. Last Friday the postal operator published its preliminary results for the financial year ended September 30 revealing a record pre-tax profit of €3.4 million largely reflecting the growing volumes of international mail services, registered mail, parcels and packets.

The directors recommended the payment of a final net dividend of 4c per share to all shareholders at the close of trading on December 14. Shareholders will have the option to take up the dividend either in cash or in new shares at the attribution price of €1.80.

On the bond market, the RF MGS Index rebounded by 0.6 per cent to 1,142.380 points as the benchmark 10-year German Bund yield slipped back below the 0.6 per cent level as last week’s disappointment continued to subside following European Central Bank president Mario Draghi’s speech on Friday evening during which he reassured markets that the ECB will do whatever it takes to support the region’s economy. Yields were also pressured lower by inflation concerns triggered by a renewed slump in the oil price.

This morning, Bank of Valletta announced that it received submissions from over 2,600 applicants for a value of €113 million compared to the €75 million on offer. The bank will be announcing its allocation policy on Monday.

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