Yesterday's 0.4% increase in the share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc was short lived as fresh sell orders during this morning's session pushed the bank's equity 0.7% lower back to the €2.73 level on volumes of over 18,000 shares.

Similarly, Malta International Airport plc reversed its recent increases with a 0.5% drop back to the €1.76 level across six trades totalling 15,900 shares. The airport operator will be inaugurating the new SkyParks Business Centre this week.

Meanwhile, International Hotel Investments plc shares regained that 90c level after rising by 0.6% during today's session on volumes of 40,000 shares.

The three other active equities ended this morning's session unchanged. Bank of Valletta plc recovered from an intra-day low of €2.25 to close unchanged at the €2.26,5 level across two trades totalling 24,600 shares. This month marks the end of the bank's financial year with the preliminary results generally published by the end of October.

September also marks the end of the financial year of MaltaPost plc, however, the preliminary results are generally published in early December. The postal equity failed to hold on to an intra-day high of 71c to end the session unchanged at 70c across 7,285 shares. The postal operator's major shareholder, Lombard Bank Malta plc continued to trade at its multi-year low of €1.90 across eight trades totalling 33,140 shares.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged 0.1% higher to 996.194 points reflecting the further dip in Eurozone yields. This morning the German Bund 10-year benchmark yields shifted lower and closer to the 1.51% level after the country's central bank asked lawyers to look in to the legality of the European Central Bank's proposed bond buying programme.

www.rizzofarrugia.com