The MSE Equity Price Index extended its recent positive trend with a further uplift of 1.02% to a near six-week high of 3,874.441 points on Tuesday. The gain was mostly driven by the upsurge in the share price of Farsons whilst BOV also ended the day in positive territory. Meanwhile, four companies closed unchanged as overall trading activity in equities amounted to just over €0.1 million.

Simonds Farsons Cisk plc surged by 15.3% to recapture the €9.80 level on a total of 1,311 shares.

Bank of Valletta plc moved back to the €0.90 level (+0.6%) across 12,878 shares.

BOV’s insurance associate – Mapfre Middlesea plc – stayed at the €2.26 level on 2,200 shares.

HSBC Bank Malta plc also ended the day flat at the €0.90 level across 28,657 shares.

A single deal of 2,070 shares left the share price of PG plc at the €2.40 level.

Tigné Mall plc remained at the €0.70 level after failing to hold on to an intraday high of €0.75 (+7.1%). A total of 61,700 shares changed hands.

The RF MGS Index trended lower for the fifth consecutive day to a near two-month low of 1,079.368 (-0.02%) as sovereign bond yields in the euro area remained close to their recent highs despite heightened concerns over the Omicron variant.

In France, authorities announced tighter restrictions as from early 2022. In the US, public health officials reduced the number of quarantine days for infected people without symptoms as many firms are currently facing a surge in covid-induced staff shortages. Meanwhile, Israel began studying the effectiveness of a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as the country hopes to offer a second booster to selected people in the coming weeks.