Daily Market Highlights (14.01.15)

  • The MSE Share Index today edged 0.5% higher to 3,346.664 points as most of the active equities, including BOV, Lombard and IHI, trended in positive territory. On the other hand, HSBC and MIDI were the only two negative performers of the day whilst MIA closed the session unchanged. Download a copy of the Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index trended higher for the third consecutive session with a further 0.1% increase to yet another all-time high of 1,110.18 points as Eurozone yields touched a new all-time low of 0.427%. Yields dropped this morning after the European Central Bank (ECB) welcomed the opinion of the advocate general of the European Court of Justice that bond buying falls within the remit of the ECB. Furthermore, the ECB confirmed that the bond purchase programme plan is ready and available.
  • During the last trading day for investors to gain entitlement to the 1 for 11 bonus share issue of Bank of Valletta plc, the equity jumped 2.7% to regain the €2.28 level across 16 deals totalling 43,700 shares. The equity turns ex-bonus as from tomorrow with the bonus shares expected to be admitted to the Official List of the Malta Stock Exchange in the subsequent days.
  • The share price of Lombard Bank Malta plc also performed positively with the equity initially touching an intra-day low of €1.725 before rallying to end the session at the €1.80 level (just €0.01 below its 2014 high) representing a 1.7% increase from the previous closing price.
  • Trading activity increased to a total of 55,165 shares. Meanwhile, low volumes were transacted in International Hotel Investments plc with only 500 shares changing hands at the €0.57 level, up 1.8% from the previous closing price.
  • Another positive performer was Medserv plc with an increase of 0.7% to regain its 16-month high of €1.47 on volumes of 16,434 shares.
  • The share price of Plaza Centres plc also edged 1.5% higher to a fresh two-and-a-half-year high of €0.68 across a single deal of 15,000 shares.
  • Similarly, Simonds Farsons Cisk plc shares rose by 0.6% to reach a new all-time high of €3.07 on low volumes of 1,365 shares.
  • On the other hand, the share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc trended lower for the fourth consecutive session with a decline of a further 1.2% to €1.956 on low volumes of 4,315 shares.
  • The only other negative performing equity was MIDI plc with an 8.7% plunge back to its all-time low of €0.21 across six deals totalling 210,550 shares.
  • The only other active equity was Malta International Airport plc as the equity held on to its all-time high of €2.40 across two deals totalling 9,000 shares.