Daily Market Highlights (03.04.2017)

  • Following the declines in the previous two trading sessions, the MSE Share Index kick-off the week in positive territory as it rebounded by 0.12% to 4,724.195 points. Trading activity was subdued as only €0.15 million worth of shares changed hands. Download a copy today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index dropped by 0.22% to 1,121.524 points. Movements in euro zone sovereign yields were mixed today. On the one hand, the 10-year benchmark German Bund yield eased to 0.308% from 0.338% last week. On the other hand, however, the yields of the 10-year government bonds of the two largest peripheral countries – Spain and Italy – advanced to 1.653% and 2.33% respectively from 1.633% and 2.315% last Thursday. The widened spreads possibly reflect the start of a reduced amount of bond purchases by the European Central Bank (ECB) as part of its extended quantitative-easing programme. Meanwhile, on the economic front, the results of fresh surveys gauging the level of activity in the manufacturing sector (PMI) in Spain and France disappointed but were better than expected in Italy. The unemployment rate in Italy also improved to a six-month low of 11.5% in February whilst in the whole of the euro zone economy it inched slightly lower to 9.5%. Within the single currency area, producer prices surged by 4.5% in February year-on-year – the sharpest increase in over five years.
  • The best performing equity today was Malta Properties Company plc which advanced by 3.6% to the €0.54 level across six deals totalling 19,000 shares.
  • In the retail banking sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc recaptured the €2.08 level (+1.0%) across 15,925 shares whilst Bank of Valletta plc advanced by a minimal 0.2% to the €2.205 level on volumes totalling 22,596 shares. HSBC is due to hold its Annual General Meeting on 13 April during which shareholders will also be asked to approve a final net dividend of €0.027 per share (payable on 20 April).
  • Among the large companies by market capitalisation, a single deal of just 400 shares left the equity of Malta International Airport plc unchanged at the €4.239 level. Shareholders as at 6 April will be eligible to receive a final net dividend of €0.07 per share.
  • MIDI plc also closed flat at the €0.33 level on insignificant volumes. The Company is due to publish its 2016 financial results on 20 April. Meanwhile, this afternoon MIDI announced that it was notified that Bank of Valletta plc transferred its entire shareholding in the company (equating to 8.92% of the total issued share capital) to Mr Mark Andrew Weingard.
  • Meanwhile, Medserv plc lost 4.1% to an over four-month low of €1.515 across 24,994 shares. The oil and gas logistics specialist is due to reveal its 2016 financial results on Wednesday 5 April.
  • Three deals totalling 16,007 shares pulled the equity of Plaza Centres plc 2.4% lower to a near one-year low of €1.025. Shareholders as at close of trading on 26 April will be eligible to receive a net dividend of €0.0294 per share.
  • The equity of MaltaPost plc closed below the €2.00 mark for the first time in nearly four months as it retreated by 2.4% to the €1.981 level albeit on trivial volumes.