Daily Market Highlights (03.10.12)

  • MSE Share Index edged lower for the first time in six sessions with a minimally decline to 3,143.577 points as BOV’s share price retreated by 2.2%. On the other hand, GO, IHI and MaltaPost traded higher whilst Farsons and Malita ended unchanged. Download a copy of the Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged higher for the ninth session in eleven days with a further 0.03% rise to 998.241 points – the highest level since 24 August. This reflects the dip in Eurozone yields to around the 1.45% level given the uncertainty over when Spain will formally request a bailout as well as weak economic data from China and Germany which further dampened the global economic outlook.
  • The share price of Simonds Farsons Cisk continued to be supported at the €2.30 level despite turning ex-dividend today. Fresh demand for shares of the Farsons Group entered the market following last week’s announcement of a 45% increase in net profit to €3.8 million during the six months ended 31 July 2012. A total of 5,886 shares changed hands today with few shares on offer at €2.299 and €2.30. The Farsons Group is scheduled to pay its net interim dividend of €0.0133 per share on 19 October.
  • GO’s equity ended this morning’s session 1% higher at the €0.959 level after recovering from an intra-day low of €0.93 across four trades totalling 17,975 shares.
  • Similarly, IHI’s share price recouped the 2.3% drop at the start of the day to close this morning’s trading session 2.2% higher at the €0.94 level – a new 19-month high.
  • MaltaPost shares also closed in positive territory today as the postal equity continued to recover from some of its recent sharp declines with a further 1.4% increase to regain the €0.71 level. Four trades totalling 30,000 shares changed hands today. Despite today’s recovery, MaltaPost’s equity is still 29% below its value at the beginning of the year.
  • On the other hand, BOV failed to hold on to the €2.25 level as it retreated by 2.2% to the €2.20 level on volumes of 9,358 shares. Last month marked the end of the Bank’s financial year and the results are generally published by the end of October.
  • The only other active equity, Malita Investments, held on to the €0.51 level on a single deal of 2,000 shares.