Trading activity for the last session of the week on the Malta Stock Exchange ended in negative territory as the Index shed 0.8 per cent to close at the 3,133.498 level. This resulted when the share price in Malta’s largest banks ended the session lower, while no other equity ended the day with gains. Trading volume in the equity market was composed of 83,329 shares that were transacted over a total of 49 deals.

Bank of Valletta was the day’s worst performer as the equity declined by 5c8 or 2.3 per cent to close at the €2.558 level. The bank was also the day’s most liquid and actively traded equity as investors negotiated 58,209 shares across thirty-three deals.

Likewise, HSBC Bank Malta shares also ended the session with losses as the equity depreciated by 3c or 1.1 per cent to terminate at €2.700. Trading activity in the bank resulted when 10,420 shares were exchanged over eight deals.

Elsewhere, Lombard Bank Malta and GO shares were non-movers during the day as the equities terminated unchanged at €2.700 and €1.200 respectively. Activity in Lombard shares was low as investors transacted just a 1,000 shares spread across a single transaction.

In the fixed sector of the market, activity was spread across twelve corporate bonds and four government stocks. In the corporate bond sector sentiment was mixed as two bonds closed higher, two closed lower, while all the rest remained unchanged. The session’s best performer was the 7.15% Mediterranean Investments Holding 2015-2017 euro bond which gained 1 per cent when €13,500 nominal were exchanged over a two deals to close at €99.000.

Meanwhile, in the sovereign debt market sentiment was negative as three out of four stocks closed lower and one was unchanged. The 4.25% MGS 2017 (III) FI May’11 was the day’s most liquid stock, as €1,400,000 nominal was exchanged over a single transaction to close at €104.040. The stock nevertheless ended lower as it dropped by 44 ticks.