High volumes of MaltaPost shares traded

More than 110,300 MaltaPost plc shares changed hands today with the equity of the postal operator advancing by 3.2% to the €0.96 level. By mid-May, MaltaPost generally publishes its half-year results covering the six months ended 31 March.

Also in positive territory during this morning’s session was GO plc which recovered from an intra-day low of €0.751 to end the session at the €0.799 level, 3.8% higher from the previous close, across four trades totalling 13,500 shares. The quad-play telecom operator is scheduled to hold its Annual General Meeting on 9 May.

Meanwhile the share prices of the two large banks close the day unchanged. Almost 17,500 Bank of Valletta plc shares traded at the €2.10 level while a further 1,740 HSBC Bank Malta plc shares changed hands at the €2.50 level. Similarly, Malta International Airport plc held on to the €1.70 level on volumes of 2,000 shares.

There was still no reaction in the market to last Friday’s full-year results publication by RS2 Software plc which revealed a 17.2% rise in revenue to a record €8.8 million which led to a 46.8% rise in pre-tax to €2.4 million. Despite the improved profitability, the Directors did not recommend a final dividend (for the first time since the 2008 IPO) in view of the planned investment particularly in the new premises in Mosta relating to the provision of new services, namely transaction processing and managed services. On the other hand, the Directors proposed a 1 for 15 bonus share issue to all shareholders as at close of trading on 8 May.

This afternoon, 6pm Holdings plc announced that its Board of Directors approved the 2011 full-year results. Furthermore, the announcement revealed that for the fourth consecutive year, the Directors resolved not to recommend a final dividend. However, 6pm also proposed a 1 for 25 bonus share issue to all shareholders as at close of trading on Thursday 26 April.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index eased 0.1% lower to 983.525 points as benchmark yields recovered. Eurozone yields this afternoon touched 1.77% as concerns over Spain’s rising debt were offset by a surprise improvement in German sentiment.