Share prices of BOV & MIA decline

The equities of Bank of Valletta plc and Malta International Airport plc both failed to hold on to the recent gains and eased lower during this morning’s session. BOV’s share price dropped by 0.9% to €2.20 after touching an intra-day high of €2.22. Similarly, MIA’s share price retreated by 1.1% to the €1.70 level despite still trading with the entitlement to the final gross dividend of €0.0615 per share. MIA’s equity will turn ex-dividend as from 4 April.

Meanwhile HSBC Bank Malta plc edged 0.7% higher to €2.52 across three trades totalling 5,000 shares. The equity of MaltaPost plc also closed in positive territory during this morning’s session following a 1.1% rise to regain the €0.94 level across very shallow activity totalling just 400 shares.

FIMBank plc’s shares maintained the US$0.85 level as a further 50,000 shares changed hands at this level. Shareholders as at close of trading on 3 April will be entitled to the final net dividend of USD0.02 per share as well as the 1 for 25 bonus share issue. Meanwhile, the market awaits further developments with respect to the possible takeover by Burgan Bank (a Kuwaiti based bank).

Likewise, International Hotel Investments plc and RS2 Software plc closed unchanged ahead of their respective 2011 full-year results publication. A single trade of 200 IHI shares was transacted at the €0.75 level ahead of the announcement due next Thursday. RS2 Software continued to trade at the €0.55 level on a single deal of 23,592 shares.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index shed 0.1% lower to a 13-week low of 981.557 points as Eurozone yields regained the 1.90% level. Nonetheless, volatility still prevails given the uncertainty over global economic growth as well as the sustainability of the peripheral countries’ debt. Increased trading activity took place in various Malta Government Stock issues today.