Daily Market Highlights (02.12.15)

  • The MSE Share Index partly reversed yesterday’s losses as it advanced by 0.74% to close at 4,462.778 points largely due to the positive performances in the equities of BOV and HSBC. Trading volumes eased further lower as €321,000 worth of shares changed hands during this morning’s trading sessions. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • The equity of HSBC Bank Malta plc completely reversed yesterday’s decline as it regained the €1.79 level (+2.3%) across 20,894 shares. Recently the Bank announced that it will be launching a voluntary early retirement scheme for its employees in a bid to contain costs which are growing and largely led to a drop in profitability during the first three quarters of this year.
  • On the other hand, the equity of Bank of Valletta plc gained 0.3% to close at the €2.299 level across 30,675 shares. The Bank will be holding its next Annual General Meeting on Thursday 17 December, during which shareholders will be asked to approve a number of resolutions including a gross final dividend of €0.085 per share (payable on the following day) and a 1 for every 12 bonus share issue.
  • In contrast to yesterday’s decline of 23.1%, the recently listed equity of Malta Properties Company plc rebounded by 10.0% today to close at the €0.55 level across 116,500 shares. Indeed, the first few trading sessions for the equity have been highly volatile.
  • The equity of FIMBank plc also trended positive territory today as it advanced by a further 6.7% to close at the USD0.64 level – the highest since early August 2014 – across 18,000 shares.
  • Meanwhile, Lombard Bank Malta plc maintained its multi-year high of €2.35 after rebounding from an intra-day low of €2.30 albeit across low volumes of 2,355 shares.
  • Shallow volumes also characterised trading activity in the equities of Malta International Airport plc and Medserv plc as they drifted into negative territory. The equities closed at the €4.00 (-0.2%) and €2.11 (-0.5%) levels respectively.
  • The only other negative performer of the day was GO plc as the equity declined by 0.8% to the €2.965 level across 44,501 shares.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index almost completely reversed yesterday’s decline as it inched 0.13% higher to 1,149.494 points. The move reflected the downturn in the yield of the benchmark 10-year German Bund to 0.48% following the weaker-than-expected eurozone inflationary data which reinforced market expectations that the European Central Bank (ECB) will further broaden the parameters of its already loose monetary policy at tomorrow’s policy meeting.
  • The applications process for any submissions for the €75 million 3.50% Bank of Valletta plc Subordinated Notes 2030 from the general public commenced today. Submissions from both the general public and Preferred Applicants (namely BOV shareholders) will close this Friday 4 December (or earlier at the discretion of the Bank).