HSBC Bank Malta announced that in view of the present coronavirus situation and the directives issued by the public health authorities, dividend will be paid to shareholders as planned but will postpone its AGM to a future date.

The dividend will be paid on April 15, 2020 to shareholders registered on the Shareholders’ Register on March 9, 2020, as previously declared through company announcement HSBC350 issued on the Malta Stock Exchange on February 18, 2020.

John Bonello, HSBC Bank Malta chair, said: “Our priority is always to safeguard the wellbeing of our employees, customers and shareholders. As a Board, we are conscious that dividend payments are important to our shareholders and in particular to our local shareholders at this time.

"For this reason, we have sought a practical solution to pay the dividend on the date we originally announced and to formally complete the process when the AGM is held. These steps form part of a wider series of actions being taken by the bank to support the community at this extraordinary time."