Daily Market Highlights (07.07.14)

  • The MSE Share Index edged 0.5% higher to 3,345.458 points on the back of gains in the equities of BOV, GO and Medserv which offset the 0.5% decline in the share price of HSBC. Meanwhile, Crimsonwing ended the session unchanged. Download a copy of the Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index reached yet another all-time high of 1,057.038 points (+0.04%) as the Central Bank of Malta raised its bid prices for the medium to longer term government paper in spite of a marginal increase in the benchmark 10-year Eurozone yields to 1.263%.
  • Further demand emerged for GO shares during this morning’s session helping the equity of the telecoms quad-play operator to rise for the fifth consecutive sessions and rank as the best performing equity since the start of this year with a 21.9% increase. Today, the share price edged 1.1% higher to yet another 4-year high of €2.225 across 17,475 shares. The recent uplift in GO’s share price follows last week’s announcement by Forthnet revealing that OTE S.A. (the incumbent telecoms operator in Greece) has submitted a non-binding offer to acquire the NOVA pay-tv platform of Forthnet for a consideration ranging between €250 million to €300 million, on a debt free/cash free basis (i.e. excluding net debt). The announcement explained that the offer is based on certain assumptions and is subject to terms and conditions, customary to such transactions. The Board of Directors of Forthnet S.A. noted that it will evaluate the offer and inform the investing public accordingly.
  • Likewise, the share price of BOV recovered some of the recent declines with a 2.4% increase to recapture the €2.10 level across four deals totalling 10,101 shares.
  • Similarly, the equity of Medserv edged 1.6% higher to regain the €1.27 level on a single trade of 20,000 shares.
  • On the other hand, the share price of HSBC slipped 0.5% lower to €2.021 across seven trades totalling 14,100 shares.
  • Meanwhile, Crimsonwing traded unchanged across 8,198 shares as investors await further details on the various potential bidders interested in acquiring shares in the Company. Crimsonwing is also shortly expected to publish its March 2014 full-year financial statements.