Daily Market Highlights (14.03.2017)

  • The MSE Share Index moved lower for the third consecutive day as it slipped by a further 0.20% to a three-week low of 4,719.735 points. Trading activity was spread across thirteen equities – five registered declines, six closed flat whilst only Santumas and Lombard Bank trended higher. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index resumed its downward trend as it retreated by 0.27% to a fresh two-year low of 1,107.572 points. Euro zone sovereign yields continued to move higher today (bond prices fell) as fresh inflationary data in Germany was in line with expectations and continued to point towards a sustained recovery. In parallel, the results of fresh surveys in Germany and in the whole of the single currency area also showed improved sentiment amongst institutional investors and analysts. The 10-year and the 20-year benchmark German Bund yields momentarily surpassed the 0.50% and 1.00% marks today from 0.447% and 0.947% yesterday.
  • The most actively traded equity was HSBC Bank Malta plc which eased slightly to the €2.039 level across 52,822 shares – representing 42.5% of the total value of equities traded today.
  • Within the same sector, Bank of Valletta plc retreated by 0.5% from its over nine-year high of €2.21 to the €2.199 level on volumes totalling 9,885 shares.
  • Also among the large companies, a single deal of just 1,760 shares pulled the equity of RS2 Software plc 1.2% lower back to the €1.65 level whilst GO plc retreated by 0.3% to the €3.52 level across 8,233 shares. Shareholders of GO as at 29 March 2017 will be eligible to receive a net dividend of €0.11 per share subject to shareholders’ approval during an Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 3 May 2017.
  • Ahead of the publication of its 2016 financial results today, FIMBank plc lost 1.1% to the USD0.89 level on five deals totalling 50,000 shares.
  • In contrast, Lombard Bank Malta plc rebounded by 2.2% from its three-week low of €2.30 to the €2.35 level across 5,060 shares. Shareholders as at close of trading on 24 March 2017 will be eligible to receive a net dividend of €0.026 per share subject to shareholders’ approval during the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 27 April 2017.
  • Santumas Shareholdings plc climbed 2.4% to a new all-time high of €1.69 across 6,322 shares.
  • Meanwhile, six equities closed unchanged on shallow volumes. In the property segment, Malta Properties Company plc, MIDI plc and Plaza Centres plc held on to the €0.52, €0.33 and €1.08 levels respectively. MPC is due to publish its 2016 financial results on 21 March whilst MIDI will do the same on 20 April. Last week, Plaza reported record post-tax profits of €1.27 million and its Board of Directors recommended a final net dividend of €0.0294 per share payable on 6 June 2017 to shareholders as at close of trading on Wednesday 26 April 2017.
  • International Hotel Investments plc maintained the €0.635 level across 4,515 shares.
  • Similarly, light volumes left the equities of MaltaPost plc and Simonds Farsons Cisk plc unchanged at €2.00 and €7.20 respectively.