Three equities were active on the Stock Exchange today with the share prices of Bank of Valletta plc and RS2 Software plc ending higher while HSBC Bank Malta plc held on to the €2.76 level.

The MSE Share Index ended this volatile week 3.4 per cent lower at 3,159.19 points after having dropping to a 21-month low of 3,117.717 points on Tuesday. High trading activity took place in the banks equities.

Over 44,000 BOV shares traded this morning across 20 transactions with the equity ending 0.4 per cent higher at €2.61.During the past five trading sessions, a total of 228,286 BOV shares changed hands with the equity ending the week three per cent lower after dropping to a low of €2.45 on Tuesday.

HSBC's equity attracted nine trades today amounting to 25,885 shares with the price initially dropping to €2.75,1 before edging up to close unchanged at €2.76. This week HSBC's share price lost 4.5 per cent with total volumes amounting to 91,972 shares.

The share price of RS2 Software plc advanced by 1.8 per cent to a new 2011 high of 56c on low volumes of 3,000 shares. RS2 has yet to announce the date of publication of the interim financial results due by end August.

Also worth highlighting is the publication of the document related to the mandatory bid launched by Mapfre Internacional SA for the remaining shares in Middlesea Insurance plc.

After purchasing 18.3 million Middlesea shares on July 29 from Munich Re at a price of 63c per share, Mapfre International became the majority shareholder in Middlesea (with a shareholding of 50.98 per cent) and in terms of Chapter 11 of the Listing Rules offered to purchase all the issued shares in Middlesea Insurance plc at the offer price of 96c5 per share.

Shareholders of Middlesea who were on the company's books as at close of business on July 29 have the option of selling their holding in Middlesea Insurance plc by completing the acceptance form during the acceptance period which runs from August 29 to September 26.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged 0.3 per cent lower following yesterday's upturn as European benchmark yields improved following the decline towards the level of 2.2 per cent yesterday. The price of the 5.25 pre cent MGS 2030 (I) dropped by 49 basis points to 102.51 per cent.

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