The MSE Equity Price Index added 0.08% to 4,373.330 points on light volumes as merely €0.08 million worth of shares changed hands.
Furthermore, most equities ended the day flat with changes being registered in just three equities – Plaza and HSBC trended higher while only MPC moved in negative territory.
HSBC Bank Malta plc regained the €1.85 level (+0.5%) across 20,000 shares. The bank’s interim financial statements will be published on August 6.
A single deal of 1,000 shares lifted the equity of Plaza Centres plc 2.9% higher to the €1.07 level ahead of the publication of the interim financial statements on July 24.
In contrast, Malta Properties Company plc shed 2% to €0.49 albeit on trivial volumes.
Low trading activity also took place in six other equities, all of which closed unchanged. These included MIDI plc (€0.486), Malta International Airport plc (€5.05), Malita Investments plc (€0.85), MaltaPost plc (€1.65), RS2 Software plc (€1.20) and Loqus Holdings plc (€0.06).
Bank of Valletta plc maintained its one-month high of €1.76 across 7,700 shares. The bank’s interim financial statements as at June 30, 2018 should be published in the coming weeks.
Similarly, PG plc retained the €1.33 on 8,100 shares. The company should be publishing its April 2018 annual financial statements by the end of August.
The RF MGS Index fell sharply from its near two-month high on Wednesday as it slid by 0.22% to 1,102.861 points, reflecting a surge in the yields of euro peripheral countries amid escalating trade tensions between the US and its main trading partners.
Meanwhile, the ECB published the minutes of the monetary policy meeting held last month. These stressed that interest rates are “expected to remain at their present levels for as long as necessary to ensure ... a sustained adjustment in the path of inflation."
Stock markets are volatile and subject to fluctuations which cannot be reasonably foreseen. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.