Daily Market Highlights (11.04.2018)

  • The MSE Equity Price Index advanced for the second consecutive day as it added a further 0.62% to 4,359.675 points. The increase was largely driven by the 6.9% uplift in the share price of IHI whilst MIA, MPC and Malita Investments all finished the day in negative territory. Trading activity rebounded strongly from yesterday as €0.55 million worth of shares changed hands. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • The RF MGS Index extended its recent downward trend as it slipped by a further 0.09% to a four-week low of 1,115.512 points. Euro zone sovereign yields continued to be mixed, largely influenced by renewed geopolitical tensions between the US and Russia as well as uncertainties over how the trade relations between the US and China will now evolve.
  • International Hotel Investments plc surged 6.9% to regain the €0.62 level albeit on trivial volumes. Yesterday, IHI announced that it completed the acquisition of the 150-room Corinthia Palace Hotel, Attard, which is currently being extensively refurbished.
  • Low trading activity also took place in the equity of FIMBank plc which advanced by 1.9% to the USD 0.545 level. The rights issue period comes to an end on 18 April 2018. Eligible shareholders are entitled to subscribe to two new shares for every three existing shares at a rights issue offer price of USD0.55 per share.
  • Four deals totalling 10,000 shares lifted the equity of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc 0.7% higher back to the €6.90 level.
  • In contrast, Malta International Airport plc eased by 0.4% to the €4.88 level across 9,519 shares. Last Friday, the airport operator published the March traffic results revealing a 22.5% growth in passenger movements. Overall, during the winter period between November 2017 and March 2018, MIA hosted a total of 1.8 million passengers, representing an increase of 17% over the previous winter period.
  • In the property segment, Malta Properties Company plc shed 2.2% to an eleven-week low of €0.452 level on a single trade of just 8,500 shares whilst Malita Investments plc dropped to the €0.835 level (-0.6%) on encouraging volumes totalling 174,000 shares.
  • On the other hand, Plaza Centres plc (500 shares) and Trident Estates plc (10,000 shares) maintained the €1.02 and €1.90 levels respectively. The equity of Plaza is still trading with the entitlement to a net dividend of €0.0294 per share.
  • Bank of Valletta plc retained the €1.75 level across 59,007 shares.
  • Likewise, HSBC Bank Malta plc also closed the day flat at the €1.68 level after failing to hold on to an intra-day high of €1.69 (+0.6%). A total of 11,413 shares traded. Tomorrow, HSBC will hold its Annual General Meeting.
  • Also among the large companies by market capitalisation, six deals totalling 31,400 shares left the equity of GO plc at the €3.58 level. Today was the last day for the entitlement to the net dividend of €0.13 per share.
  • PG plc (20,000 shares) and MaltaPost plc (1,693 shares) maintained their 2018 lows of €1.30 and €1.85 respectively.