After reaching a 4-week high of 4,347.612 points last Friday, the MSE Equity Price Index opened this week in negative territory, the first time in the last five sessions, as it slid 0.19% to 4,339.387 points. Four equities, including HSBC and RS2, trended lower whilst BOV and Trident Estates moved higher. Trading volumes improved as they reached €0.37 million.
HSBC Bank Malta plc eased 0.6% lower back to the €1.77 level on shallow volumes of 4,378 shares. The bank is expected to pay its net interim dividend of €0.0026 per share by 18 September.
Similarly, PG plc drifted 2.2% lower back to the €1.35 level on a single trade of 3,000 shares.
RS2 Software plc only partially recovered from an intra-day low of €1.13 to close today’s session at the €1.18 level representing a 1.7% drop from the previous closing price. Only 4,101 shares changed hands today.
The only other negative performing equity was Malta Properties Company plc with a drop of almost 2% back to the €0.50 level on just 3,700 shares.
On the other hand, Bank of Valletta plc moved 0.3% higher to recapture the €1.50 level across thirteen deals totalling 138,213 shares.
Trident Estates plc also edged 1.5% higher to close at the €1.35 level albeit on low volumes of 5,000 shares.
Meanwhile, GO plc closed unchanged at the €3.44 level after the equity failed to hold on to an intra-day high of €3.46 across seven deals totalling 27,000 shares.
Malta International Airport plc also closed Tuesday's session unchanged as it held to its all-time high of €5.80 across 7,630 shares. The airport operator is expected to pay its net interim dividend of €0.03 per share by not later than 14 September.
The RF MGS Index slid 0.1% today to 1,088.89 points as the benchmark 10-year German Bund Yield approached the 0.4% level as concerns over Italy continued to ease. The Italian Economy Minister on Sunday reiterated that the fiscal measures to be presented in the upcoming budget for 2019 will be prudent.