The final day of trading for the week at the Malta Stock Exchange resulted in a further 0.1 per cent decline to the Index, which terminated the session at 2776 points. Seven components were active in the equity market, with low volume trading spread over a total of 15 deals.

HSBC Bank Malta was the day’s only gainer as the equity recouped its previous session’s one cent decline, to close at e2.21. Activity in the financial services company’s equity was spread over four deals and a market consideration of e9,371. At the end of the session, 1,200 shares remained outstanding on the bid side at e2.15, while 5,730 shares were best offered at e2.21.

Bank of Valletta was, relatively, the most liquid equity for the day, with 5,000 shares changing hands across four deals. The bank registered a further decline of two cents, which equates to a 0.8 per cent decay to close at e2.20.

Medserv commenced trading for the year as two investors swapped a mere 500 shares at the e3.69 level which represents a 30c7 or 7.7 per cent discount to its previous traded price. The oil services company, which registered a pre-tax profit of e684,166 for the interim period ending June 2008, was the day’s worst performer.

GO was also active during the day as the listing traded a total of 4,375 shares over four deals. The quadruple play communications company was a non-mover for the day with the price closing unchanged at e1.50.

Plaza Centres announced that its board of directors is scheduled to meet on 10 March 2009 to consider the approval of the financial statements for the financial year ended 31 December 2008. Activity in the operator of commercial retail leases in the heart of Sliema consisted of 2,210 shares exchanged over one deal with no change in price to close at e1.70.

Similarly, MaltaPost and RS2 Software were also non-movers for the session, both ending at the e0.75 level.

Activity in the fixed interest sector of the market increased from Thursday’s session and was spread over eight government stocks and eight corporate bonds. The highest turnover in the corporate debt issues was registered in the 6.50% Corinthia Finance 2010 as 64,000 nominal were transacted over two deals. Among sovereign bonds the 6.60% MGS 2019(I) was the best performer as the security rose by 148 ticks to e117.