Daily Market Highlights (10.01.17)

  • Yesterday’s marginal drop in the MSE Share Index proved short-lived as it rebounded by 0.10% to 4,647.789 points – the highest reading since mid-April 2008. Trading activity was spread across eleven equities with four moving higher, another four registered declines whilst HSBC, IHI and Mapfre Middlesea closed the day unchanged. Volumes dropped to €0.19 million – the lowest in the last four trading sessions. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index posted its first uplift in the last seven days as it moved 0.28% higher to 1,136.055 points. Euro zone sovereign yields retreated following the significant surge recently. The benchmark 10-year German Bund yield eased to 0.280% today from a three-week high of 0.326% yesterday.
  • Malta International Airport plc regained the €4.10 level (+1.2%) across 5,650 shares. The Company is expected to publish the 2016 traffic results and the passenger forecast for 2017 in the coming days.
  • GO plc climbed 0.6% to a fresh near eight-month high of €3.30 after recovering from an intra-day low of €3.26 (-0.6%). A total of 9,775 shares traded.
  • In the property segment, Tigne’ Mall plc erased most of yesterday’s drop as it bounced back by 3.5% to the €1.18 level across 6,350 shares.
  • Malita Investments plc finished the day minimally higher at €0.858 across 15,500 shares.
  • In contrast, Plaza Centres plc was the worst performing equity today with a decline of 1.9% to the €1.06 level albeit on shallow volumes totalling 2,500 shares.
  • Thin trading activity also took place in the equity of Malta Properties Company plc which lost 1.6% to a one-month low of €0.571.
  • MaltaPost plc eased 1.0% from its all-time high of €2.08 to the €2.06 level across 6,400 shares.
  • Bank of Valletta plc retreated to the €2.27 level (-0.2%) on volumes totalling 34,007 shares. The equity will continue trading with the entitlement to the 1 for 13 bonus share issue until next Thursday.
  • On the other hand, HSBC Bank Malta plc maintained the €1.945 level across 8,412 shares. The Board of Directors of HSBC is set to meet on 21 February to consider and approve the preliminary statement of annual results for 2016 and also consider the declaration of a final dividend to be recommended during the Annual General Meeting to be held on 13 April 2017. Last Friday, the Bank also announced the redemption of its €58.2 million 4.6% subordinated bonds on 1 February 2017.
  • International Hotel Investments plc and Mapfre Middlesea plc also closed flat today at €0.62 and €2.25 respectively on insignificant volumes.