The Malta Stock Exchange Index gained less than a point on Wednesday, to close at 3,396.397 on light volume of 58,496 shares across 25 deals. Stocks finished mostly lower as four of the seven equities to trade yesterday closed lower while a single issue closed higher, allowing the index to finish in positive territory.

Bank of Valletta plc ended the session marginally lower, shedding 0c1, or less than 0.1 per cent, to close at €2.809 in five deals for a total of 8,451 shares.

HSBC Bank Malta plc added a marginal 0c5, or 0.2 per cent, to finish at €2.985 in eight deals for a total 11,850 shares.

FIMBank plc shares, meanwhile, closed unchanged at €0.850 on volume of 9,279 shares across four deals.

Also in the financial services sector, Middlesea Insurance plc fell 0c1, or 0.1 per cent, in a single deal of 500 shares.

Shares of the local airport operator, Malta International Airport (MIA) plc dropped 1c, or 0.6 per cent, to end the day at €1.710 on volume of 7,416 shares across four deals. Late in the day on Tuesday, MIA released its interim directors’ statement whereby the company stated that for the period commencing 1 January 2011 to 24 May 2011, the financial position of the company had been in line with projected results. In the first quarter of the year passenger movements were up by 16.45 per cent when compared to those of the first quarter of last year.

Shares of the local software company RS2 Software plc fell 0c1, or 0.2 per cent, to end the day at €0.499 in a single deal of 18,000 shares.

Also trading in the session, yet closing unchanged, was the stock of the telecommunications provider GO plc, which rounded out trading at €1.360 in two deals for a total of 3,000 shares.

Before the start of the session, Plaza Centres plc, announced that shareholders approved all ordinary resolutions as proposed on its agenda at its annual general meeting held on Tuesday.

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