Daily Market Highlights (15.05.2017)

  • The MSE Share Index moved lower for the fifth consecutive day as it slipped by a further 0.41% to a fresh near five-month low of 4,625.179 points. Trading activity was spread across thirteen equities, eight of which trended lower (including three of the largest companies by market capitalisation), four ended the day unchanged whilst only Lombard moved higher. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index moved 0.05% lower to a near seven-week low of 1,119.110 points. Euro zone sovereign yields moved higher today despite fresh tensions on the Korean peninsula and a global cyber-security attack which left many IT systems vulnerable. Meanwhile, fresh inflationary data in Italy exceeded previous readings and forecasts.
  • Once again, PG plc was the most actively traded equity today as 124,779 shares changed hands, with the share price closing 0.8% lower at the €1.299 level
  • Bank of Valletta plc slipped 0.2% to a six-week low of €2.20 across 27,243 shares.
  • Malta International Airport plc (10,520 shares) and GO plc (3,000 shares) also posted minimal declines of 0.1% and 0.3% to €4.09 and €3.47 respectively.
  • Medserv plc slumped 7.4% to a near two-year low of €1.25 on three deals totalling 36,000 shares. The oil and gas logistics specialist is due to hold its Annual General Meeting on 31 May.
  • A single deal of 38,462 shares pulled the equity of FIMBank plc 3.8% lower to an over one-year low of USD0.75.
  • Malta Properties Company plc lost 1.9% to the €0.53 level albeit on trivial volumes. The Company is due to hold its AGM on 25 May.
  • Low trading activity also took place in MaltaPost plc which dropped by 2.5% to a fresh five-month low of €1.95 across 2,469 shares. Last week, the postal operator published its interim results showing a 7.2% improvement in net profit to €1.19 million when compared to the corresponding period last year. Looking ahead, the Directors noted that the Company will continue seeking further diversification. Furthermore, the Directors expressed their confidence that the positive trend will continue throughout the financial year.
  • Meanwhile, MaltaPost’s parent company – Lombard Bank Malta plc – rebounded by 3.9% to the €2.39 level across 4,171 shares.
  • Also in the banking sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc maintained the €2.00 level across 6,950 shares.
  • A further three equities maintained their recent lows. MIDI plc (2,000 shares) and Malita Investments plc (10,000 shares) held on to the €0.31 and €0.72 levels respectively.
  • Mapfre Middlesea plc retained its near seven-month low of €2.01 on insignificant volumes.