Daily Market Highlights (07.02.2018)

  • The MSE Equity Price Index advanced by 0.18% to 4,469.955 points today as the gains in the share prices of six equities outweighed the 7.4% drop in FIMBank plc which retracted to the USD0.63 level on a single deal of just 6,537 shares. Meanwhile, HSBC, Lombard and Medserv all closed the day flat. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • The RF MGS Index added to yesterday’s gains as it advanced by a further 0.1% to a near one-week high of 1,113.184 points. Euro zone sovereign yields moved largely lower today as volatility and uneasiness in global equity markets remained relatively elevated following the broad and significant sell-off in risky assets that took place earlier this week. In Germany, the CDU/CSU parties led by Angela Merkel and the Social Democratic Party (“SPD”) reached an agreement to form a “grand coalition“ government. However, this agreement is still subject to approval by SPD party members. Meanwhile, the European Commission published its Winter 2018 economic forecasts today. The Commission said that it is expecting the single currency economy to grow by 2.3% this year, and by a further 2% in 2019. With respect to Malta, the Commission stated that real GDP growth is expected to have reached 6.9% in 2017. However, GDP growth is projected to subside to 5.6% this year, and to decline further to 4.5% in 2019.
  • Four deals totalling only 8,500 shares lifted the equity of Trident Estates plc 11.8% higher to a fresh all-time high of €1.80.
  • Within the same sector, MIDI plc jumped by 1.2% to regain the €0.35 level across 217,300 shares.
  • Malta Properties Company plc also performed positively today with a gain of 1% to the €0.51 level after opening at a low of €0.49 (-3%). A total of 39,317 shares changed hands.
  • Following yesterday’s slump of 7%, the equity of RS2 Software plc rebounded by 3% to the €1.36 level across 45,661 shares.
  • Also among the large companies by market capitalisation, Malta International Airport plc trended 0.4% higher to the €4.90 level on three deals totalling 3,050 shares. Yesterday, MIA published the January 2018 traffic results showing a 16.7% growth in passengers movements to a January record of 351,550 passengers. The company also made reference to a report published by the Airports Council International which ranked Malta International Airport as one of the top five performers in 2017 in terms of full-year passenger growth amongst airports in its class (namely airports hosting between five and ten million passengers annually).
  • Bank of Valletta plc recaptured the €1.82 level (+0.6%) on volumes totalling 28,836 shares.
  • In contrast, HSBC Bank Malta plc (27,438 shares) and Lombard Bank Malta plc (24,472 shares) retained the €1.80 and €2.30 levels respectively.
  • Medserv plc also ended the day unchanged at the €1.16 level on two deals totalling 16,735 shares.