BOV & HSBC lift MSE Share Index

The MSE Share Index ended this week in positive territory after recovering by 0.6% during this morning’s session to 2,950.060 points on the back of uplifts in the share prices of the two big bank equities. Nonetheless, in contrast to the previous two sessions, trading activity was sparse today with a total value of €66,409 traded across four equities.

During this week’s last trading session, HSBC Bank Malta plc’s share price jumped 1.2% to regain the €2.54 level across three trades totalling 6,200 shares, to end the week 1% higher.

Similarly, Bank of Valletta plc climbed 0.9% higher this week at €2.14 level reflecting this morning’s increase. Ten trades totalling 21,927 shares transacted during today’s session.

GO plc also in positive territory this week as this morning’s 0.7% rise to the €0.77 on a single trade of 5,000 shares was but failed to pare this week’s earlier slide. In fact, GO’s equity slumped 8.2% this week leading a 21.4% decline since the start of the year (apart from the drops of 7.9% and 49.4% registered in 2010 and 2011 respectively) reflecting the significant negative impact of the Group’s substantial investment in Forthnet.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index was practically unchanged today at 982.329 points to end the week marginally lower. Eurozone yields were stable around the 1.80% level this morning. As fears over the Eurozone debt levels rise, investors again sought the “safe-haven” assets of Germany pushing the yields back to a new 5-month low of 1.724%.

Trading on the Malta Stock Exchange will resume on Tuesday 10 April 2011.