Daily Market Highlights (08.10.13)

  • The MSE Share Index advanced by 0.4% to 3,476.884 points on gains in four equities amid higher trading activity. Meanwhile, the other four active equities ended the session unchanged. Download a copy of the Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index eased 0.1% lower to 1,018.743 points as Eurozone yields edged marginally higher to 1.83% in spite of the uncertainty created by the US shutdown as well as an unexpected fall in German factory orders.
  • RS2 Software ended this morning’s session 1% higher at a new closing high of €2.00 although volumes were low with only 7,982 shares changing hands. Yesterday evening, the IT Company announced that Mr Christopher Wood, who currently sits on Barclaycard’s Executive Committee and leads its Enterprise Development and Corporate Affairs function, has been appointed as a non-Executive Director of RS2. The appointment of Mr Wood is part of the deal by virtue of which Barclays Bank plc will acquire a 10% stake in RS2 from ITM Holding Ltd – the major shareholder of RS2. Barclays has also already announced its intention of acquiring a further 10% from the secondary market.
  • BOV also performed positively with a 1.2% increase to regain its 2013 high of €2.479 across 25 deals totalling 52,784 shares. The September 2013 full-year results are expected to be announced by the end of October.
  • Similarly, the equity of MIA moved 0.5% higher to regain the €1.97 level on low volumes of 8,475 shares. Last Friday, the airport operator announced a 10.8% increase in passenger movements during the month of September and it was also revealed in the media that British Airways will return to Malta with a daily flight to Gatwick in the UK as from 30 March 2014.
  • GO shares also closed this morning’s session in positive territory. The equity of the telecoms quad-play operator recovered from an intra-day low of €1.44 to end today’s session at the €1.48 level representing a 0.7% increase over the previous closing price.
  • HSBC held on to the €2.62 level on volumes of 23,650 shares.
  • Lombard Bank maintained the €1.86 level on a single deal of 5,500 shares.
  • Similarly, Crimsonwing traded unchanged at the all-time high of €0.77 on just 6,250 shares. The IT Company is scheduled to hold its Annual General Meeting on 16 October for shareholders to consider and approve a number of resolutions including the recommended final gross dividend of €0.01 per share. Shareholders as at the close of trading on 17 October will be eligible to receive this dividend.
  • The equity of Simonds Farsons Cisk was active for the first time since turning ex-dividend with respect to the interim gross dividend of €0.0333 per share. Nonetheless, its share price remained unchanged at the €2.75 level on a trade of 3,600 shares.