Daily Market Highlights (16.10.2018)

  • The MSE Equity Price Index extended its recent rally as it added a further 0.63% to an eleven-month high of 4,544.278 points. Five equities performed positively, including BOV, HSBC and Farsons, whilst only Malita Investments trended lower. Trading activity remained buoyant as a total of €0.55 million worth of shares changed hands. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • Yesterday’s rebound in the RF MGS Index was short-lived as it eased by 0.07% today to 1.078.994 points. Changes in the prices of MGS continued to be impacted by the heightened volatility across financial markets reflecting uncertainties related to global trade and monetary policy normalisation by major central banks, as well as heightened geo-political risks in general. On the economic front, fresh data in the euro area was largely negative showing declines in import prices in Germany, slowing inflation in Italy and as well as a downbeat reading of sentiment amongst institutional investors and analysts.
  • Bank of Valletta plc surged by 2.2% to regain the €1.38 level across 47,655 shares. The European Banking Authority is scheduled to publish the results of its various stress tests on major European banks including BOV by 2 November 2018.
  • Within the same sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc advanced by 1.1% to the €1.83 level albeit on trivial volumes.
  • A single deal of 2,310 shares pushed the equity of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc 0.6% higher to the €8.00 level.
  • Positive sentiment towards MIDI plc and Malta Properties Company plc persisted further. MIDI recaptured its all-time high of €0.72 (+1.4%) on robust volumes totalling 213,826 shares. On the other hand, MPC climbed 1.8% to a fresh 2018 high of €0.575 across 119,644 shares.
  • In contrast, Malita Investments plc eased by 0.5% from its over two-year high of €0.91 to the €0.905 level on activity totalling 38,000 shares.
  • Meanwhile, Main Street Complex plc (48,000 shares) and Plaza Centres plc (7,500 shares) closed the day unchanged at €0.65 and €1.03 respectively.
  • FIMBank plc held on to its fourteen-month high of USD0.785 across 29,500 shares.
  • Similarly, the equity of GO plc maintained its twelve-year high of €4.10 on activity totalling 32,462 shares. GO will be convening an extraordinary general meeting (“EGM”) on Monday 3 December 2018 in relation to the proposed sale of up to 49% of its shareholding in BMIT Technologies plc (“BMIT”) through an Initial Public Offering. In this respect, shareholders of GO as at close of trading on 31 October 2018 will be receiving notice of the EGM as well as a circular containing further details on the proposed partial sale of BMIT.
  • Four deals totalling 2,663 shares left Malta International Airport plc at the €6.15 level.