IHI shares advance on high volumes

Over 200,000 International Hotel Investments plc shares changed hands during this morning’s trading session on the Malta Stock Exchange with the share price rising by 1.1% to €0.819 – a fresh 3-month high. In the coming weeks, IHI is due to publish its Interim Statement to update the market on the performance of the Group’s various hotels since 30 June 2011. Particular attention will be given to the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli, Libya following the latest developments.

On the other hand, Bank of Valletta plc closed a further 0.6% lower at the €2.40 level after recovering from a fresh 2-year low of €2.38. Twenty seven trades took place this morning with total activity amounting to over 40,400 shares. BOV is due to publish its September 2011 full-year results next Friday.

Meanwhile HSBC Bank Malta plc held on to the €2.66 level on a single deal of a mere 1,000 shares with further offers on the market at the closing price.

GO plc’s share price slipped 0.4% lower to €1.001 across five trades totalling 5,480 shares. This morning, Forthnet announced that its Board of Directors decided to postpone the company’s Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) which was expected to be held tomorrow. However, the Forthnet Directors failed to disclose the reason for the EGM postponement which will now be held on 15 December.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index climbed 0.4% higher to 985.556 points. This was in line with the drop in Eurozone yields as EU leaders are not expected to reach an agreement on how to solve the prevailing sovereign debt crisis during today’s summit.