Daily Market Highlights (18.01.2018)

  • The MSE Equity Price Index shed 0.27% to a three-week low of 4,462.766 points, mostly weighed down by the 2.2% decline in the share price of HSBC. Trading activity slowed down with only €0.15 million worth of shares changed hands today. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • The RF MGS Index extended yesterday’s decline of 0.02% by a further 0.16% to 1,114.949 points, reflecting a strong rebound in euro zone sovereign yields following the issue of fresh supply from France, Spain and Austria.
  • A single deal of just 3,828 shares forced the equity of HSBC Bank Malta plc to retreat back to the €1.75 level (-2.2%). HSBC is due to publish its 2017 financial results on 20 February 2018. The Directors will also consider the declaration of a dividend to be recommended to shareholders during the Annual General Meeting to be held on 12 April 2018.
  • Among the large companies by market capitalisation, RS2 and MIA also trended lower today. RS2 Software plc retracted by 0.7% to the €1.45 level across 9,090 shares whilst Malta International Airport plc eased by 0.4% from its all-time high of €5.00 to the €4.98 level albeit on light volumes. Last Friday, MIA revealed that it registered a 17.5% increase in passenger movements in 2017 to a record of 6.01 million movements and the airport operator is expecting to welcome around 6.5 million passengers in 2018. As a result, MIA is anticipating to generate an EBITDA of over €52 million which should translate into a net profit of over €28 million in the current financial year ending 31 December 2018. The financial results for 2017 and the recommendation of a final dividend will be announced on Wednesday 21 February 2018.
  • In contrast, International Hotel Investments plc added 0.8% to the €0.62 level after falling to hold on to an intra-day high of €0.63 (+2.4%) set at the opening of today’s trading session. Only 2,093 shares traded.
  • In the property sector, MIDI, Plaza and MPC all registered gains on low trading volumes. MIDI plc recaptured the €0.34 level (+3%), whilst Plaza Centres plc and Malta Properties Company plc advanced by 2% and 1.4% to the €1.02 and €0.442 levels respectively.
  • Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta plc maintained the €1.80 level across 51,864 shares.
  • Medserv plc (3,000 shares) and Simonds Farsons Cisk plc (1,890 shares) traded unchanged at the €1.16 and €7.75 levels respectively. Listing of the shares in Trident Estates plc (the property management arm being spun-off from Farsons) is expected to take place on 30 January 2018.