Daily Market Highlights (18.01.12)

  • MSE Share Index closes at a new 2012 low as it retreated by 0.2% to 3,087.958 points following declines in the share prices of BOV, IHI, Lombard and Crimsonwing. Meanwhile HSBC and GO traded higher. Download a copy of the Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index dropped by 0.1% to 987.905 points. On the secondary market, €1 million (nominal) of the 3.6% MGS 2013 (IV) changed hands today with its price closing marginally below the Central Bank’s bid price of 102.78%. Meanwhile the 5.2% MGS 2030 (I) closed at the Central Bank’s bid price of 103.3% across €229,500 (nominal).
  • BOV’s share price eases by 0.9% to €2.25 across twelve trades totalling 18,648 shares. Few other bids unsatisfied at the closing price with lowest offers at the €2.26 level.
  • Lombard’s equity sheds 1.9% to a new 15-month low of €2.55. Four trades amounting to 12,000 shares changed hands today with other bids outstanding at the last traded price and lowest offers placed at the €2.60 level.
  • IHI also in negative territory today with a 0.6% dip back to €0.84 across 25,000 shares. Other offers outstanding at the last closing price.
  • On the IT front, Crimsonwing shares traded for the first time since 14 December 2011. The equity plunged 12% to a new all-time low of €0.22 across three deals totalling 10,500 shares. No further bids in sight with lowest offers placed at €0.269.
  • Meanwhile HSBC edged minimally higher to end this morning’s session at the €2.552 level on low volumes of 1,148 shares. Further bids for just 52 shares remaining unsatisfied at the closing price whilst lowest offers still in the market at the €2.60 level.
  • GO recovered most of this year’s initial declines as its share price advanced by 5.6% to the €0.95 level. A total of 18,510 shares changed hands today with best bids now placed at €0.91 and lowest offers at the €0.97 level. Last week, the shareholders of Forthnet S.A. (in which GO has an indirect investment) rejected all the resolutions presented to them during the Extraordinary General Meeting including a €30 million rights issue in line with the conditions of the restructured debt. Prior to the meeting, GO also announced that it was opposing these resolutions. The market now awaits further news on the future of Forthnet following the rejection of the resolutions at the EGM.