Daily Market Highlights (09.09.10)

  • Last Tuesday’s turnaround was short-lived as the MSE Share Index edged 0.2% lower during this morning’s session to close at 3,382.164 points. Declines in the share prices of BOV, MIA and Middlesea ousted the 0.4% increase in HSBC. Meanwhile the two other active equities, IHI and Plaza Centres close unchanged. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • The Central Bank of Malta Stockbroker again increased the bid prices for Malta Government Stocks as renewed concerns on the viability of Europe’s sovereign debt pushed the 10-year benchmark Eurozone yield back to the 2.25% level.  The CBM bid price for the 20-year Government paper is now 103.74%, 35 basis points higher than last Tuesday’s level.
  • HSBC again touches its 2010 low of €2.80 before recovering by 0.4% to close at the €2.84 level. 9,648 shares change hands today with few other bids unsatisfied at the closing price whilst lowest offers now pitched at the €2.899 level.
  • Meanwhile BOV drops 0.6% to ease back to the €3.18 level on volumes of over 5,600 shares. Other bids outstanding at the last closing price whilst lowest offers still pitched at the €3.22 level.
  • IHI unchanged at the €0.83 level across five trades totalling 11,000 shares. Shareholders have until 29 September to sell back their bonus share entitlement to IHI at the nominal value of €1.00.
  • Middlesea share price declines by 3.8% to close at the €1.01 level on volumes of 7,042 shares. Other bids in the market at the closing price whilst lowest offers now placed at the €1.05 level.
  • MIA in negative territory for third successive session despite record number of passenger numbers in August. The share price of the airport operator slid a further 0.6% to €1.55 for a total decline of 1.9% since the traffic statistics announcement last Friday. The statistics for the month of August showed a 13.4% increase in passenger movements compared to August 2009. MIA explained that passenger movements reached an all-time high of 427,924 movements mainly due to the increase in seat capacity which also clocked in a new monthly record of 536,495 seats. Further details on traffic results available here. 12,200 shares traded today with best bids now placed at €1.50 whilst lowest offers pitched at the €1.58 level.
  • A single trade of 2,300 Plaza shares executed at the €1.65 level, unchanged from the previous close.