Daily Market Highlights (16.12.16)

  • During this morning’s session, the MSE Share Index edged a further 0.2% higher to 4,546.001 points as the uplift in the share prices of GO, RS2, FIMBank, Farsons and MaltaPost outweighed the declines in BOV and Tigne Mall. During this shortened week, the local equity benchmark edged 0.9% higher as various equities including GO and RS2 trended higher to offset the weekly decline in BOV. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, volatility persisted as the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index jumped 0.6% today to regain the 1,145.914 points level as Eurozone yields slumped back to the 0.32% level. Demand for ‘safe-haven’ instruments intensified amid the growing volatility across financial markets.
  • The share price of GO plc added 0.3% to recapture the €3.249 level across eight deals totalling 20,784 shares.
  • Similarly, RS2 Software plc edged 0.3% higher to €1.62 on volumes of 8,000 shares.
  • FIMBank plc shares also trended in positive territory with a 2.9% jump to the USD0.875 level on a single trade of 20,000 shares.
  • MaltaPost plc reached a new all-time high of €2.02 representing a 1% increase over the previous closing price. The equity will continue to trade with the entitlement to the final net dividend of €0.04 per share until next Friday 23 December.
  • The only other positive performing equity was Simonds Farsons Cisk plc with a 7% jump to regain the €6.90 level albeit on shallow volumes of 720 shares.
  • On the other hand, the share price of Bank of Valletta plc shed 1.5% back to the €2.24 level across six trades totalling 12,569 shares. This morning, the Bank held its Annual General Meeting during which the Chairman and the CEO emphasised the need for the bank to revise its business model and raise fresh capital in line with the more stringent regulations being imposed on European banks. Shareholders approved a number of resolutions including the recommendation of a final dividend of €0.085 per share as well as a 1 for 13 bonus share issue.
  • Likewise, the equity of Tigne Mall plc trended in negative territory with a 0.8% drop back to the €1.19 level on a small deal of 500 shares.
  • Meanwhile, MIDI plc ended the session unchanged at the €0.335 level after recovering from a fresh 2016 low of €0.315 across a total of 10,000 shares.
  • Similarly, Malta International Airport plc maintained the €4.05 level on volumes of 14,200 shares.