Six equities trade higher

Today’s session was a positive one for local equities as six out of the eight active shares traded higher leading to a 0.5% rise in the MSE Share Index to 3,091.637 points.

HSBC Bank Malta plc edged 0.4% higher to regain the €2.64 level on volumes of 5,150 shares. However offers are already placed below the last closing price at the €2.63 level. Similarly, Bank of Valletta plc inched 0.2% higher to close at the €2.535 level across seven trades totalling 5,100 shares.

Also in the banking sector, FIMBank plc closed in positive territory as the equity recovered most of yesterday’s 9.1% drop with a 6.7% rise to the US$0.747 level on volumes of almost 15,000 shares. A miniscule trade of 216 Middlesea Insurance plc shares was transacted at the €0.92 level representing a 1% rise over the previous close. The equity of Middlesea had been inactive since 7 September mainly as a result of the mandatory offer by Mapfre Internacional which closed last Monday 26 September. Middlesea is expected to announce the take-up of the offer next week.

Fresh demand for the shares of Malta International Airport plc helped the equity gain 2% to €1.57 across five trades amounting to 6,000 shares. The other positive performing equity was GO plc which edged 1.8% higher to regain the €1.12 level on volumes of 7,000 shares.

On the other hand, MIDI plc eased 1.2% to €0.415 on very low volumes of 500 shares with offers already placed minimally lower. Meanwhile, RS2 Software plc maintained the €0.58 level across two trades amounting to 27,000 shares.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index suffered another 0.1% drop to 988.460 points in line with the continued recovery in yields to just below the 2% level.