The Malta Stock Exchange finished the last day of the trading week by managing a slight gain, adding just over one point, to close at the 3,573.925 level. Yet trading volume in the equity market remained relatively week as just 28 trades for a total of 62,115 shares were executed.

Banking shares finished mixed as Bank of Valletta plc stock lost 2c1, or 0.7%, to close at €2.899 on volume of 37,108 shares across 19 deals.

HSBC Bank Malta plc shares, meanwhile, made a marginal gain of 1c, or 0.3%, to end the day at €2.960 in a single deal of 500 shares.

Before the start of the trading day, FIMBank plc released its operating results for its financial year ended 31 December 2010. The banking group managed a pre-tax profit of US$6.2 million versus US$1.6 million in 2009 with earnings per share registering at US$0.0497.

Having the day’s best performance were Plaza Centres plc shares, which soared 28c, 18.4%, to finish at €1.800 in two deals for a total of 6,000 shares. Late in the day on Thursday, the company released its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2010. Pre-tax profit amounted to €1.3 million, the same amount registered in 2009, on revenue of €2.1 million versus €2.0 million a year earlier.

MaltaPost plc continued its upward trend after stalling in the last few sessions. The shares of the local postal operator gained 1c2, or 1.2%, to end at €1.052 in four deals for a total of 13,432 shares.

The other equity to trade in the day, Loqus Holdings plc, dropped a marginal 0c1, or 0.6%, to close at €0.161 on volume of 5,075 shares across two deals.

Trading in the corporate bond market finished mixed again on Friday, with four of the twelve bonds to trade in the session closing lower, while three ending higher. The 6.25% Corinthia Finance plc € 2016-2019 issue fell a precipitous €13.020, or 12.6% to end at €89.980 in two deals for a total of €10,000 nominal.

Investors turned negative on the government bond market yesterday with all six issues to trade in the session closing lower.