Daily Market Highlights (03.09.15)

  • The MSE Share Index closed today’s session 0.05% lower at 4,236.336 points as the losses in GO and Malita Investments offset the gains in RS2 Software and Mapfre Middlesea. Meanwhile, a further 5 equities closed the day unchanged. This morning’s session was characterised by weaker trading activity.  Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index edged slightly up by 0.03% to 1,119.419 points as the ECB held interest rates unchanged at 0.05% and decided to increase the share limit on its public sector purchase programme from 25% to 33%, effectively meaning that the institution can buy more of a single asset. The QE programme was expanded as the ECB confirmed that inflation will remain “very low” in the near term due to lower oil prices and inflation projections for 2016 and 2017 were downgraded.
  • RS2 Software plc advanced by a further 0.4% to close at yet another new all-time high of €2.35 on 20,100 shares.
  • The only other positive performer was Mapfre Middlesea plc with a 0.4% rise to €2.12 on thin volumes of 1,472 shares.
  • On the other hand, GO plc and Malita Investments plc closed in negative territory. GO’s share price shed 1.6% to €3.46 on continued slim volumes of 3,500 shares. The equity of Malita eased by 0.2% to €0.938 on a single trade of 500 shares.
  • All the other active equities closed unchanged. In the financial services sector, Bank of Valletta plc again maintained the €2.25 level on volumes of 19,100 shares and Lombard Bank Malta plc held on to €2.15.
  • In the property sector, MIDI plc traded again at its highest level since January 2012 as a further 10,000 shares traded at €0.353. Last Monday, the company published its interim results covering the six months ended 30 June 2015 in which it revealed that during the period under review the Group registered an improved net profit figure of €2.95 million compared to the net loss of €0.99 million incurred in the first half of 2014. This was reached on the back of improved revenues largely reflecting the delivery of the first few apartments at the Q1 residential block, a 6.8% increase in income from property and rental management and a tax credit of €3.6 million.
  • Likewise, Plaza Centres plc held on to its all-time high of €1.05 across a single deal of 17,412 shares.
  • A single deal of 2,000 shares was also traded in the equity of 6PM Holdings plc, leaving the share price unchanged at GBP0.735.