Daily Market Highlights (11.02.15)

  • The MSE Share Index ended this morning’s session practically unchanged at 3,417.41 points as the decline in the share price of HSBC was counterbalanced by the uplift in the share prices of FIMBank, Malita, MIDI and MaltaPost. Meanwhile, a further three equities, including BOV, ended this morning’s session unchanged. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index once again eased 0.1% lower to 1,127.291 points as benchmark Eurozone yields remained well supported at the 0.37% level in spite of the Greek uncertainties.
  • The share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc trended lower for the fourth consecutive session ahead of the Bank’s full-year results publication on 23 February. A total of 10,620 shares changed hands today as the equity receded by a further 1.5% back to the €1.98 level.
  • On the other hand, the share price of FIMBank plc marginally rebounded from recent sharp declines with an 8% uplift to recapture the USD0.54 level on low volumes of 3,050 shares.
  • In the property segment, the equity of Malita Investments plc climbed by 1.4% to reach a new all-time high of €0.73 on volumes of almost 30,000 shares. Similarly, MIDI plc edged 0.4% higher to €0.231 on a single deal of 10,000 shares.
  • The only other positive performer was MaltaPost plc with a 0.4% increase to reach a new all-time high of €1.35 on a single deal of 2,671 shares. This morning MaltaPost issued its Interim Directors Statement stating that since the start of the 2014/15 financial year on 1 October 2014, the Company registered an improvement in its financial performance in line with expectations. Higher turnover was largely due to the growth in parcels and packets (especially during this Christmas period), new service offerings and the revision of certain tariffs with effect from 1 January 2014. These offset the long-term decline in traditional letter mail volumes as well as the adverse impact from increased staff costs and other operating expenses.
  • Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta plc held on to the €2.08 level across 15 trades totalling 36,463 shares. Last week, BOV also issued its Interim Directors Statement to update the market on its performance since the start of the 2014/15 financial year on 1 October 2014. BOV explained that its financial performance is in line with expectations and it continued to experience weak demand for business lending which was mitigated by the increasing request for home loans. Meanwhile, customer deposits continued to grow despite the lower rates, resulting in higher levels of liquidity. Part of these incoming funds were invested in short dated, low yielding instruments and this served to keep negative returns on overnight deposits to a minimum. Concurrently, commissions earned on the sale of financial products continued to grow at a satisfactory rate across all key business lines. BOV also noted that the cautious view towards provisioning, particularly the prudent valuation of collateral held, was retained during the period under review while price changes on the Bank’s investment portfolio also remained moderately positive during the period.
  • Simonds Farsons Cisk plc held on to the €3.08 level on shallow volumes of 1,472 shares and likewise Middlesea Insurance plc maintained the €0.994 level with only 800 shares changing hands.