The share index this morning eased minimally lower to 4,217.233 points amid a slump in trading activity with only €65,174 worth of shares changing hands during this morning’s session representing the lowest daily volumes in the last five months.
GO eased minimally lower to €3.49,8 on shallow volumes of 1,580 shares. Similarly, RS2 Software reversed some of the recent gains with a 1.8 per cent drop back to the €2.15 level on just 6,150 shares.
Both companies still have to announce the date when their respective board of directors are expected to meet to approve the interim results covering the six months ended June 30.
On the other hand, the only positive performing equity today was HSBC as its share price ended this morning’s session 0.3 per cent higher at the €1.82,5 after it failed to hold on to an intra-day high of €1.84 across a total of 11,652 shares.
Yesterday, HSBC published its 2015 interim results revealing a 6.8 per cent drop in profitability to €23.9 million during the first six months of 2015. The improvement achieved on the income side, largely relating to lower interest expense and the fees generated from the newly transferred insurance portfolio, was offset by higher costs (mainly linked to regulatory and compliance factors) as well as increased impairment charges.
The bank declared a gross interim dividend of 5c1 per share (to all shareholders as at the close of trading on August 12) representing a 25.9 per cent increase over the adjusted interim gross dividend declared with respect to the first six months of 2014. The difference in dividend is attributable to a lower charge in connection with the general banking risk reserve as per the revised banking rule 09.
Meanwhile, the other five active equities ended this morning’s session unchanged. Bank of Valletta held on to the €2.30 level on just 652 shares and Mapfre Middlesea retained the €2.02 level across 1,000 shares.
Malta International Airport maintained the €3.95 level on volumes of just over 4,000 shares. Last week, the airport operator issued its interim results, which showed a 6.5 per cent rise in revenue and an 8.3 per cent increase in EBITDA.
Pre-tax profits climbed by 9.6 per cent to a new record of €11.4 million. Despite the increase in profitability, the company’s gross interim dividend was yet again unchanged at 4c62 (net 3c) per share for the eight consecutive year. The dividend will be paid to shareholders on the register at close of trading August 10.
In the property segment, Midi maintained the 34c level on a single trade of 3,000 shares and Malita Investments held on to the 94c level across 5,000 shares.
Meanwhile on the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index trended higher for the third successive session with a further 0.2 per cent uplift to a new two-month high of 1,137.321 points as the benchmark 10-year German Bund yield continued to retreat toward the 0.64 per cent level.
The recently issued 5.5 per cent Mediterranean Investments Holding 2020 momentarily touched the 106.50 per cent level before easing to close the session unchanged at the 106 per cent level on activity of €70,800 (nominal).
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