The Malta Stock Exchange Index managed a second consecutive session of gains, albeit relatively small ones, to close up two points, or 0.1%, and end Friday’s session at the 3,348.155 level.

The big mover on the day was the stock of Malta International Airport plc, which gained 1c8, or 1.2%, to close at €1.558, on volume of 12,030 shares across five deals.

Also closing on the upside were shares of Middlesea Insurance plc, which managed to rise 1c, or 1.0%, to finish at €1.00 in a single deal of 2,000 shares.

Elsewhere in the financial services sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc shares closed marginally lower, by 0c2, or 0.1% to close at €2.798 in five deals for a total of 10,000 shares.

Bank of Valletta plc shares, meanwhile, finished unchanged in low volume of 8,717 shares across eight deals. The stock of the local retail bank had opened, and remained at, a level of 3c9 lower for most of the session, yet managed to claw its way back and end the session at €3.240.

The other stock to trade in the day and register a change in its closing price was Medserv plc, which ended the last trading session of the week marginally lower, dropping 1c, or 0.2%, to close at €4.27 in two trades of 10,000 shares.

Other shares to trade in the session yet close unchanged were GolbalCapital plc, Grand Harbour Marina plc, and MaltaPost plc, which closed at €1.84, €1.96 and €0.90, respectively, all on brisk trading volumes.

Trading in the corporate bond market finished marginally lower as €259,540 nominal across 42 deals was traded where one of the twelve bonds to trade in the session closed higher while four finished lower. The big mover on the day was the 5.35% Bank of Valletta 2019 issue, which lost €0.50, or 0.5%, to close at €104.55 in a single trade of €4,100 nominal. The single issue to close higher was the 5.60% GlobalCapital 2014-2016 bond, which gained €0.30, or 0.4%, in two deals of €11,700 nominal, to close at €85.80.

Meanwhile, trading in the government stock market finished mixed as €490,168 nominal across 27 deals were traded. Nine of the thirteen issues to trade in the day ended lower while three finished in positive territory. The largest mover in the day was the 5.25% MGS 2030 I issue, which gained €0.99, or 1.0%, to close at €103.01 in three deals of €20,000 nominal.