Daily Market Highlights (19.04.2017)

  • Following three consecutive sessions of declines, the MSE Share Index rebounded today with a 0.3% increase to 4,717.421 points as four equities, including HSBC, trended higher to offset the declines in another four equities including BOV. Meanwhile, no changes were recorded in Malita Investments and MaltaPost. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • Following yesterday’s sharpest daily drop in two weeks of -0.19%, the RF MGS Index rebounded strongly today as it advanced by 0.24% to a near one-week high of 1,126.131 points. In particular, the indicative bid prices of the Central Bank of Malta stockbroker for the four longest-dated Malta Government Stocks in issue rose by more than 60 basis points from yesterday. Changes in euro zone sovereign yields remained volatile even after the UK Prime Minister yesterday called for a surprise general election to be held on 8 June 2017. On the economic front, fresh inflationary data within the single currency area was in line with expectations. On the other hand, euro zone trade balance indicated a marked improvement in net exports in February over the previous month, largely driven by Germany. The euro zone’s trade surplus was one of the issues mentioned recently by US President Donald Trump in the context of foreign currency movements.
  • HSBC Bank Malta plc advanced by almost 1% to regain the €2.09 level across six deals totalling 21,319 shares. The Bank is scheduled to pay the final net dividend of €0.027 per share tomorrow following shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting held last Thursday 13 April.
  • Similarly, RS2 Software plc ended this morning’s session in positive territory with a 1.9% rise to regain the €1.61 level after rebounding from a fresh 2017 low of €1.575 across a total of 25,100 shares. Yesterday evening, the company published its preliminary 2016 financial statements revealing a net profit of €0.58 million compared to €4.83 million in the previous financial year largely due to a drop in revenue, increase in operational expenses as well as unfavourable foreign exchange movements. Nonetheless, the Group still boasts a healthy business pipeline and the drop in profitability is largely due to its international expansion plans as well as its strategy to focus on the managed services side of the business whilst being very selective on licence sales. The Directors recommended the payment of a final net dividend of €0.01 (2015: €0.0158) to all shareholders as at the close of trading on Wednesday 17 May.
  • Positive movements were also recorded in Simonds Farsons Cisk plc (+2.8% to a new all-time high of €7.40) and Santumas Shareholdings plc (+2.9% to a new 2017 high of €1.75) albeit on very shallow volumes.
  • On the other hand, Bank of Valletta plc failed to hold on to yet another new 10-year high of €2.25 as it ended this morning’s session 0.5% lower at the €2.23 level on volumes of 32,519 shares.
  • Likewise, Malta International Airport plc dipped 0.2% lower back to the €4.19 level across eleven deals totalling 10,280 shares.
  • In the property segment, MIDI plc and Tigne Mall plc both eased minimally lower to €0.319 and €1.059 on single deals.
  • Meanwhile, MaltaPost plc held on to the €2.00 level across a trade of 5,000 shares.
  • Likewise, Malita Investments plc held on to its previous closing price of €0.74 on higher volumes of 93,900 shares.