The Malta Stock Exchange Index fell more than ten points, or 0.3 per cent on Friday, to close at the 3,489.745 level. Trading was dominated by the drop in market values of all four of the banking stocks listed on the Index. Trading volume was moderate as 45,867 shares across 35 deals took place.

Putting in the day’s poorest performance were the shares of Lombard Bank Malta plc, which fell 8c, or 3.0 per cent, to close at €2.570 on 7,930 shares across three deals.

Also closing lower were the shares of HSBC Bank Malta plc, which fell 1c, or 0.3 per cent, to finish at €2.940 on light volume of 3,600 shares across three deals.

FIMBank plc stock also ended the day lower, dropping 1c, or 1.1 per cent, to close at US$0.930 in a single deal of 1,682 shares.

Finally in the banking sector, Bank of Valletta plc shares were also off, yet marginally, dropping 0c9, or 0.2 per cent, to close at €3.680 in fourteen trades, for a total of 13,305 shares. At the end of the day, BOV announced that it would be presenting several ordinary and extraordinary company resolutions for its shareholder’s consideration at its 37th Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled to be held on 16 December 2010.

Also trading in the day was the stock of GO plc, which ended the session unchanged, at €1.900, in ten deals for a total of 14,050 shares.

Other shares to trade, yet closed unchanged, were International Hotel Investments plc, and Malta International Airport plc, which ended at €0.770 and €1.625, respectively, both on low volume.

Trading in the corporate bond market on Friday was moderate as €177,323 nominal exchanged hands across 23 deals. Trading was mixed as four of the twelve bonds to trade during the session closed lower while two closed higher. The 5.35% Bank of Valletta 2019 bond suffered the biggest loss, closing €1.09, or 1.0 per cent lower, in a single trade of €4,000 nominal.