MSE Share Index closes the week lower on muted activity

Low trading activity again characterised this morning’s trading session on the Borza with the MSE Share Index moving marginally higher today to 3,374.218 points. However the local equity index still closed the week 0.1% lower.

HSBC Bank Malta plc recovered from an intra-day low of €2.94 to close today’s session 0.3% higher at the €2.97 level which represents a weekly rise of 0.7%. Seven trades transacted today totalling 6,900 shares with further bids unsatisfied at the closing price. Meanwhile Bank of Valletta plc ended the week unchanged as the equity maintained the €2.74 level across six trades totalling 27,178 shares.

GO plc’s share price dropped 0.7% to the €1.37 level on two trades amounting to 4,000 shares. The quad-play telecom operator held its Annual General Meeting this week during which shareholders approved all the items on the agenda including a significantly reduced net dividend of €0.05 per share which will be paid tomorrow.

Further trades were effected in the equity of RS2 Software plc. The share price closed the day unchanged as 11,500 shares changed hands at the €0.499 level ahead of the  Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held next Tuesday 14 June.

Increased volumes were registered in MaltaPost plc. Almost 35,000 shares traded today at the €1.02 level. No further bids are placed in the market with lowest offers still at the €1.05 level.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index this morning climbed by 0.2% to 975.783 points in line with the drop in the benchmark Eurozone yields back to the €3.01 level. The downturn in yields follows yesterday’s confirmation by the ECB to maintain the level of interest rates at 1.25%. However there is wide anticipation that a further increase of 25 basis points will take place next month on further evidence of higher inflation. The latest tranche of the 19-year MGS saw its price increase to 102% on increasing volumes of over €450,000 (nominal).