Daily Market Highlights (08.11.13)

  • The MSE Share Index rounded up a positive week with the sixth consecutive daily increase as it jumped 0.6% during this morning’s session to a fresh two and a half year high of 3,533.412 points. Download a copy of the Equity Market Summary. Over the week, the local equity benchmark edged 1.5% higher as most of the active equities trended higher.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged 0.2% higher to 1,020.346 points largely reflecting yesterday afternoon’s decline in Eurozone yields to below the 1.70% level after the European Central Bank (ECB) announced that it cut its reference rate by 25 basis points to a historically low 0.25% in order to combat the declining rate of inflation in the region. This morning, Eurozone yields minimally rebounded to regain the 1.70% level on increased speculation that the US Federal Reserve with start tightening its monetary stance before March 2014.
  • BOV’s equity advanced by a further 1.5% to yet another five and a half year high of €2.66 across twenty trades totalling 34,381 shares as demand for these shares remained strong ahead of the cut-off date for the final dividend of €0.13 per share on Thursday 14 November.
  • Similarly, the share price of MIA climbed by 1.9% to a fresh all-time high of €2.14 across five deals totalling 25,000 shares. The airport operator is expected to publish its October traffic statistics in the coming days.
  • Amongst the large cap equities, IHI also edged higher with a minimal increase to the €0.76 level on volumes of 10,000 shares.
  • MaltaPost recovered most of yesterday’s 3.6% drop with a 2.8% rise today to regain the €1.09 level on a single deal of 3,213 shares. This afternoon, the postal operator announced that its Board of Directors is scheduled to meet on Friday 6 December to consider and approve the Company’s full-year results.
  • The only other positive performing equity was Malita Investments with a 0.4% increase to a new all-time high of €0.533 across two deals totalling 20,000 shares.
  • On the other hand, the shares of Middlesea Insurance eased 2.4% lower to €0.83 on an insignificant deal of 64 shares.
  • Meanwhile, HSBC held on to the €2.65 level across 14,160 shares.
  • Similarly, no changes were registered in the share prices of GO and Simonds Farsons Cisk. The equity of the quad play telecoms operator held on to the €1.54 level on low volumes of 2,000 shares and a single deal of 3,000 Farsons shares was executed at the €2.85 level.
  • In the IT sector, RS2 Software maintained the €2.30 level on a small deal of 975 shares. The Company this afternoon announced that Barclays Bank plc acquired a further 8.25% stake in RS2 in addition to the 10% shareholding it had originally acquired. 
  • Local investors now await the Interim Directors’ Statements of all listed companies with a December year-end which should be published over the next few days. These announcements will provide an update on the respective company’s performance since the half-year end.