Daily Market Highlights (06.06.16)

  • Following the declines registered during the past three trading sessions, the MSE Share Index rebounded during this morning’s session by 0.22% to 4,442.611 points mostly due to the increases in the share prices of the two large banks’ equities. Even though trading activity was spread across twelve equities, overall volumes were subdued with just over €0.17 million worth of shares changing hands during today’s session. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index extended last Friday’s gains as it edged up by a further 0.08% to 1,150.860 points in line with the continued downward pressure across euro zone government bond yields following the publication of fresh data showing that German factory orders contracted by 2.0% in April, erasing most of last month’s increase. The benchmark 10-year German Bund yield slipped from last Friday’s high of 0.12% to a low of 0.07% today.
  • In the retail banking sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc gained 0.2% to the €1.604 level across 23,600 shares whilst Bank of Valletta plc recaptured the €2.23 level (+0.5%) on volumes totalling 13,694 shares.
  • A single deal of 1,950 shares of RS2 Software plc also pushed the equity up by 0.7% to the €3.489 level. RS2 is due to hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 23 June during which shareholders will be asked to approve a number of resolutions including a 5 for 3 share split (cut-off date: 30 June).
  • MaltaPost plc minimally advanced from its year-to-date low of €1.801 to the €1.802 level across shallow volumes totalling 2,000 shares.
  • GlobalCapital plc rallied by 10.9% to a four-month high of €0.50 across 12,030 shares. Last Monday, the insurance specialist announced that the Listing Authority approved the publication of a Supplement dated 30 May 2016 to the Prospectus dated 12 May 2016, both in connection with an offer of €10 million 5% unsecured bonds maturing in 2021, whereby the Offer Period was extended from 30 May 2016 to 8 June 2016.
  • In contrast, Malta Properties Company plc closed at its lowest level this year as it retreated by 1.0% back to the €0.506 level across 30,000 shares.
  • Meanwhile, six equities finished the day unchanged. Malta International Airport plc briefly touched an intra-day high €4.31 before closing flat at the €4.30 level across a total of 2,435 shares. Last Friday, the airport operator published the May traffic results revealing a further 7.8% increase in passenger movements to a record (for the month of May) of 476,575 – representing the 50th consecutive month of passenger growth.
  • Also amongst the large companies by market capitalisation, GO plc (3,670 shares) and International Hotel Investments plc (5,550 shares) maintained the €2.90 and €0.63 levels respectively.
  • Two deals totalling 3,250 shares left the equity of Medserv plc unchanged at the €1.75 level. Last week, the oil and gas logistics specialist announced that it was awarded a contract by ENI to provide it with a logistics base and associated services for its exploration activities taking place offshore Portugal for six months with possible extensions.
  • Similarly, FIMBank plc maintained its three-week low of USD0.82 across 55,250 shares.
  • The equity of Grand Harbour Marina plc traded for the first time in nearly a month, with just 1,000 shares trading unchanged at the €0.90 level.