Daily Market Highlights (19.04.13)

  • Following two consecutive sessions of declines, the MSE Share Index edged 0.1% higher to 3,325.472 points as IHI, FIMBank and Plaza trade higher to offset the 3.6% decline in the share price of Malita Investments. The other six equities ended the session unchanged. Download a copy of the Equity Market Summary. Over the week, the local equity benchmark slipped 0.3% lower as various equities trended lower amid declining trading activity. Volumes across the equity market during the last five trading sessions tumbled to their lowest levels in the last eight weeks with €0.82 million changing hands.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged minimally higher to 1,020.69 points as Eurozone yields slipped back below the 1.25% level. Bunds remained in demand given the prevailing challenges in the Eurozone including the increasing probability of fresh elections in Italy. However, demand for other higher yielding riskier bonds was also sustained throughout the week.
  • BOV held on to the €2.27 level across seven trades totalling 13,555 shares as investors await the Bank’s interim results (covering the six months ended 31 March 2013) due to be published next Thursday 25 April.
  • Similarly, no changes in the share prices of Lombard Bank as a further 1,000 shares traded at the €1.95 level.
  • Middlesea’s equity also held on to its ex-dividend price of €0.895 across 15,000 shares.
  • Meanwhile, FIMBank advanced by 1% to regain the USD1.00 level on a deal of 11,216 shares.
  • The share price of IHI reversed the marginal decline incurred earlier this week with an equivalent 0.7% increase to the €0.775 level across six trades totalling 48,000 shares.
  • Likewise, fresh bids helped the equity of Plaza Centres to partially recover yesterday’s 6.8% decline with a 3.6% uplift to regain the €0.57 level on low volumes of 3,000 shares.
  • Meanwhile, Malita Investments failed to preserve yesterday’s 3.7% gain as its share price slipped back to the €0.51 level on a single trade of 1,000 shares.
  • A further 1,550 MIA shares traded unchanged at the €1.92 level. The equity ended the week 1% lower as it turned ex-dividend. The airport operator is scheduled to hold its Annual General Meeting on 21 May during which shareholders will approve a number of resolutions including the final gross dividend of €0.0615 per share.
  • A single trade of 1,300 6pm Holdings shares was executed at the GBP0.49 level, unchanged from the previous close.
  • MaltaPost also continued to trade unchanged at the €1.05 level on low volumes of 4,177 shares. The postal operator is expected to publish its interim results (covering the six months ended 31 March 2013) in the next few weeks.