BoV up 10c

Bank of Valletta shares opened at Lm4.35 and gained 10c during the week to end Friday's session at Lm4.45. Total turnover amounted to 35,831 shares changing hands over 38 deals. The price ranged between Lm4.46 and Lm4.35.

At the end of Friday's session, bids for 1,000 shares at Lm4.43 and offers of 1,000 shares at Lm4.45 made up the best unsatisfied closing positions.

HSBC Bank Malta shares opened at Lm7.999 on Monday and closed unchanged on Friday. During the week the price ranged between Lm8 and Lm7.969.

Total turnover amounted to 88,088 shares over 41 deals. At the close of the business on Friday, best bids for 1,000 shares at Lm7.50 and best offers for 1,000 shares at Lm7.988 remained outstanding.

Maltacom shares fell 1c to end Friday's session at Lm1.45. Total turnover amounted to 34,100 shares, changing hands over 29 deals. As Friday's session drew to a close, best bids for 700 shares at Lm1.43 stood against best offers of 500 shares at Lm1.45.

On Friday, Maltacom's board of directors announced that it had decided to start the process which will lead to the merger by acquisition of its fully owned subsidiary AllCom Limited.

Malta International Airport shares opened at Lm1.11 on Monday and gained 1c last week, with 13,764 shares changing hands over 26 deals. At the end of Friday's session, bids for 1,624 shares at Lm1.07 and offers of 4,126 shares at Lm1.12 were the best unsatisfied bids and offers, respectively.

In a company announcement on Thursday, the MIA board of directors published the interim unaudited financial statements for the six months ended September 30. These show operating income of Lm10,029,191 (September '03: Lm8.6 million), net profit on core operations of Lm2,804,327 (Lm1.7 million) and earnings per share of 20c73 (12c45).

The company is proposing the payment of a net dividend per share of Lm0.025. Shareholders on the register of members on Thursday are eligible for the dividend.

On Friday, First International Merchant Bank plc announced that its board of directors is meeting on February 28, 2005, to consider and approve the annual financial statements of the Company for the year ended December 31 and to consider the payment of a dividend, if any.

The other equities which traded last week, with the trading range in brackets, were: 23,299 Lombard Bank shares (Lm4.30-Lm4.13); 5,414 Middlesea Insurance plc shares (Lm2.41-Lm2.27); 2,977 International Hotels Investments shares (€0.75); 4,200 Plaza Centres shares (Lm0.649-Lm0.62); 127,120 Global Financial Services shares (Lm1.20-Lm1.199); and 13,000 Datatrak shares (Lm0.24).

Total Malta Government Stock turnover amounted to a nominal value of Lm542,600, being traded in 47 deals over 20 different stocks. Trading over the week in corporate bonds was made up of a total value of Lm175,613.

The Malta Stock Exchange Share Index rose 10.48 points or 0.346% over the week and now stands at 3,038.92.

Report by Azzopardi Investment Management Limited, tel: 2131-3100, fax 2131-8897 www.azzopardi.com