Daily Market Highlights (03.03.16)

  • The MSE Share Index slipped by 0.07% to 4,543.040 points as the declines in six equities outweighed the gains in another three shares. Trading volumes across the equity market decreased to €395,000 from yesterday’s high level. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • Positive sentiment towards RS2 Software plc was sustained with the equity rising by a further 0.5% to a new all-time high (the ninth consecutive record price in as many trading sessions) of €3.74. A total of 11,000 shares changed hands today.
  • Similarly, MaltaPost plc advanced 2.0% to a new record price of €1.999 albeit on light volumes totalling 2,290 shares.
  • Bank of Valletta plc reclaimed its six-week high of €2.25 (+0.4%) across 43,104 shares. The deadline for submission of applications in respect of the recently announced €50 million 3.5% Tranche 2 subordinated bonds 2030 at par (100%) is on 18 March (or earlier in the case of over-subscription).
  • Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta’s associate company, Mapfre Middlesea plc, retreated by 1.9% to the €2.55 level across relatively high trading volumes totalling 48,828 shares. Yesterday, the insurance specialist announced its 2015 full-year results which showed a 3% increase in pre-tax profits to €17.9 million. The Directors recommended an unchanged final net dividend of €0.03826 per share. Shareholders as at the close of trading on Wednesday 27 April will be eligible to receive this dividend on 22 May 2016 subject to shareholder approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on Friday 22 April.
  • Medserv plc lost another 0.3% to the €1.64 level across 15,000 shares. Recently, the oil and gas logistics specialist announced the conclusion of the acquisition of the METS Group.
  • The share price of MIDI plc shed 1.4% to the €0.355 level on volumes of 22,265 shares ahead of the publication of the 2015 results on 28 March. Malta Properties Company plc eased by 0.2% to €0.578 on a single trade of 8,000 shares.
  • Grand Harbour Marina plc and International Hotel Investments plc also closed lower. GHM dropped 3.9% to the €0.99 level and IHI eased 0.7% to €0.714 both on insignificant volumes.
  • Amongst the large companies, GO plc (5,078 shares) and HSBC Bank Malta plc (15,010 shares) traded unchanged at €3.31 and €1.63 respectively. Both equities are trading with the entitlement to the recently declared final dividends.
  • Likewise, Malta International Airport plc maintained the €4.50 level across 7,262 shares. Shareholders as at the close of trading on 30 March will be eligible to receive the final dividend. This will be payable by 19 May following shareholders’ approval at the Annual General Meeting to be held on 4 May.
  • FIMBank plc also closed flat at the USD0.625 level across 28,086 shares. The trade finance specialist will reveal its 2015 full-year results on 15 March.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index extended yesterday’s decline by a further 0.30% to 1,139.954 points. Eurozone bond yields rose as easing concerns about global growth and commodity prices reduced the attractiveness of sovereign bonds. Indeed, the 10-year benchmark German Bund yield advanced from 0.19% yesterday to 0.21% today (on Monday it touched a 10-month low of 0.10%). Similar gains were also registered in the corresponding yields of the two biggest peripheral countries – Italy and Spain.