Daily Market Highlights (08.03.2017)

  • The MSE Share Index moved lower for the second consecutive day as it dropped by a further 0.28% to a four-day low of 4,745.005 points albeit on weak volumes totalling just €0.10 million – the lowest in the last twelve trading sessions. The declines in GO (-3.5%) and Mapfre Middlesea (-1.8%) outweighed the 0.5% gain in Bank of Valletta plc which recaptured its nine-year high of €2.21 across 18,299 shares. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index moved lower for the sixth consecutive day today as it fell by a further 0.13% to a near two-week low of 1,120.433 points. Euro zone sovereign yields surged today (bond prices fell) following the issuance of strong economic data showing a 2.8% rebound in German industrial production month-on-month in January (higher than the 2.5% rise as previously forecasted and considerably better than the revised decline of 2.4% in December 2016). Indeed, the 10-year and 20-year benchmark German Bunds advanced to 0.349% and 0.899% respectively from 0.320% and 0.876% yesterday. Meanwhile, the indicative opening bid price of the Central Bank of Malta for the longest-dated stock in issue – i.e. the 2.40% MGS 2041 I – fell by 46 basis points to an all-time low of 98.41% today. This represents a decline of over 334 basis points compared to the issue price of 101.75% in August last year.
  • GO plc shed 3.5% to a one-month low of €3.416 on trivial volumes. Shareholders as at 29 March 2017 will be eligible to receive a net dividend of €0.11 per share subject to shareholders’ approval during an Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 3 May 2017.
  • Ahead of the publication of the 2016 financial results today, the equity of Mapfre Middlesea plc eased by 1.8% to an over two-month low of €2.19 on insignificant volumes.
  • Meanwhile, four equities traded unchanged. HSBC Bank Malta plc maintained the €2.08 level on four deals totalling 21,643 shares. Shareholders as at 10 March 2017 will be eligible to receive a final net dividend of €0.027 per share subject to shareholders’ approval during an Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 13 April 2017.
  • Similarly, Malta International Airport plc (1,918 shares) and RS2 Software plc (2,000 shares) held on to the €4.15 and €1.669 levels respectively. Yesterday, MIA issued its February traffic results revealing a 25.2% increase in passenger movements over the same period last year and the fourth consecutive monthly double-digit growth reflecting the expanded winter schedule. On the other hand, the seat load factor drop by 2.6 percentage points to 76.8%. The announcement also revealed that Malta’s airport has been classified in third place from among 84 other European airports in the Airport Service Quality Awards 2016. Shareholders as at 6 April 2017 will be eligible to receive a final net dividend of €0.07 per share subject to shareholders’ approval during an Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 10 May 2017.
  • Malita Investments plc closed flat at its two-year low of €0.77 on a single deal of just 1,600 shares. Shareholders as close of trading on Friday 24 March 2017 will be eligible to a final net dividend of €0.01482 per share subject to shareholders’ approval during an Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on Thursday 27 April 2017.