Daily Market Highlights (15.11.2017)

  • The MSE Equity Price Index resumed its downward trend as it fell 0.96% to a new twelve-month low of 4,446.96 points today. Simonds Farsons Cisk plc ranked as the worst performing equity today with a plunge of 10.5% back to the €8.50 level albeit on trivial volumes. A further three equities also trended lower whilst the two largest companies by market capitalisation – BOV and HSBC – ended the day higher. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • The RF MGS Index surged by 0.22% to 1,125.871 points today as euro zone sovereign yields dropped markedly (bond prices gained) amid heightened uncertainty over the state of potential implementation of expansionary tax reforms in the US. On the economic front, inflation in France (which is the second largest economy within the single currency area) improved to 1.2% year-on-year in October from +1.1% in the previous month.
  • Bank of Valletta plc edged higher by a minimal 0.1% to the €1.753 level on continued healthy volumes totalling 72,194 shares.
  • Also in the banking sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc advanced by 0.4% to the €1.859 level across 5,600 shares.
  • On the other hand, FIMBank plc moved back to its 2017 low of USD0.60 (-3.2%) on three deals totalling 45,699 shares.
  • RS2 Software plc (20,394 shares) and Malta International Airport plc (5,874 shares) also trended lower today as the equities shed 1.9% and 0.6% to €1.55 and €4.62 respectively. Last Friday, MIA published an Interim Directors’ Statement updating the market on its financial performance since the start of the year. The Directors noted that during the nine-month period under review, revenues grew by 13.7% year-on-year to €63.1 million, EBITDA surged by 21.9% to €39.1 million and post-tax profits rose by 25.2% to €21.4 million. Looking ahead, MIA stated that the traffic projections for the current winter schedule are already exceeding expectations. Moreover, the Company remains optimistic that Q4 2017 will follow the positive trend registered so far and that the full-year financial results are expected to exceed the revised projections dated 27 July 2017.
  • Meanwhile, Lombard Bank Malta plc retained the €2.20 level across 5,277 shares.
  • Malita Investments plc and PG plc also finished unchanged as the equities held on to the €0.76 and €1.48 levels respectively on light volumes.