In contrast to the downward trend in the local equity, the share prices of MaltaPost plc and Malta International Airport plc closed higher during this morning’s session.

The equity of the local postal operator jumped 7.8 per cent to regain its 2010 high of €0.90 on volumes of 15,164 shares.

Meanwhile the share price of MIA increased by 1.3 per cent to €1.58 on increased volumes of 79,100 shares. The airport operator is scheduled to pay the declared interim dividend of €0.03 per share on September 15.

On the other hand the two large banks closed in negative territory.

HSBC Bank Malta plc shed 1.4 per cent to drop back to the €2.82 level on volumes of just over 19,900 shares while Bank of Valletta plc eased 0.4 per cent to the €3.28,5 level on weak volumes of 1,500 shares.

Elsewhere, GlobalCapital plc shares were active for the first time since the publication of the Group’s 2010 interim results on August 26. The share price slumped 14.7 per cent to a fresh 2010 low of €1.28 on just 240 shares with further offers already placed at €1.26.

The half-year results showed an after-tax loss of €1.4 million compared to the €2.3 million loss reported in the comparable period last year.

On the bond market, longer-dated Malta government stocks declined following the strong gains in recent weeks while the Sterling tranche of the recently listed 7.15 per cent Mediterranean Investments Holding plc traded for the first time with the price immediately shooting to a strong premium as £25,000 were exchanged at 105 per cent.

http://rizzofarrugia.com/news-events/2010/interim-results-gcl05/

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