Trading activity dried up during this morning’s session as only €52,000 worth of shares changed hands representing a seven-week low. The MSE Share Index today edged 0.2 per cent higher on the back of increases in the share prices of HSBC Bank Malta plc and Malta International Airport plc.
HSBC’s equity recovered some of its recent declines with a 0.4 per cent increase to regain the €2.55 level across four deals totalling 6,760 shares.
Similarly, after trending lower for the past four weeks, the share price of MIA gained one per cent at €1.90 level on volumes of just over 6,000 shares.
Meanwhile, the only other active equity, Bank of Valletta plc, ended this morning’s session unchanged at the €2.35,2 after recovering from an intra-day low of €2.32,6 across nine trades totalling 9,980 shares.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index slipped back into negative territory as it marginally retreated to 1,022.784 points in line with the uptick in benchmark Eurozone yields to 1.93 per cent after the Eurostat (EU’s statistics office) explained that the 0.3 per cent expansion of the Eurozone’s gross domestic product in the second quarter of 2013 was due to a rebound in exports as well as spending by households and government.
Meanwhile, Medserv plc recently announced the issuance of €13 million six per cent secured and guaranteed notes due 2020/23. Interest is payable twice yearly on March 31 and September 30.
The preplacement will take place on September 19 and the public offer opens on September 23. Minimum applications are for €2,000 and in multiples of €100 thereafter.
www.rizzofarrugia.com