Daily Market Highlights (20.01.16)

  • The MSE Share Index extended yesterday’s gain by a further 0.04% to 4,502.805 points on strong trading activity of just over €630,000. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index advanced by 0.28% to 1,140.538 points despite marginal changes in the yield of the benchmark 10-year German Bund at the 0.49% level. The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) is scheduled to meet tomorrow to re-assess its monetary policy stance. Notwithstanding the recent sharp drop in the prices of oil, eurozone bond markets are not expecting any additional actions from the ECB during tomorrow’s meeting despite the prevailing weak inflation.
  • Most notably, the equity of Malta International Airport plc advanced by 1.2% to a new all-time high of €4.35 across 4,388 shares. On Monday, the airport operator announced the 2015 traffic results and the passenger forecast for 2016. During 2015, MIA registered a further increase of 7.7% in passenger movements (its sixth consecutive annual record) principally on the back of increased seat capacity as well as an improved seat load factor. Moreover, MIA is expecting a further 2.4% growth in passenger numbers in 2016 to yet another record of at least 4.73 million passenger movements. The Company is expected to announce its 2015 full year results on 24 February.
  • The most active equity during this morning’s session was RS2 Software plc as 103,425 shares, valued at almost €338,000 and representing over 50% of today’s value traded, changed hands with the share price edging 0.2% higher to regain the €3.27 level.
  • Similarly, positive movements were also registered in the share price of GO plc with a 1.6% increase to €3.15 albeit on shallow volumes of 2,295 shares. This morning, GO plc announced that it exercised its option of increasing its stake in the Cypriot telecoms company Cablenet from the current level of 25% to 51%.
  • Also amongst the large caps, the share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc edged 0.3% higher to €1.795 across 11,510 shares. HSBC is expected to announce its 2015 preliminary full-year results on 22 February.
  • Two single deals of 8,900 and 1,200 shares pushed the equities of Medserv plc and Malita Investments plc up by 4.2% and 0.1% to the €1.75 and €0.951 levels respectively. Following the closure of subscription for Medserv’s rights issue to eligible shareholders and the Intermediaries’ Offers, applications for the lapsed rights are now being received. Last Friday, the oil and gas logistics company unveiled that it was awarded two full service logistics contracts offshore Libya having an estimated value of between of €2 to €3 million. These are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2016 and will require Medserv to utilise both their Malta Base facilities and their Libyan Branch.
  • Meanwhile, four equities closed the day in negative territory. Bank of Valletta plc closed marginally lower at €2.249 compared to yesterday’s closing price of €2.25 across healthy volumes totalling 75,201 shares and having a total value of €168,600.
  • Also in the banking sector, FIMBank plc shed 4% to USD0.605 (7,418 shares) and Lombard Bank Malta plc closed 2.6% lower at the €2.42 level (6,200 shares).
  • A single deal comprising 20,000 shares of MIDI plc was executed at the €0.35 level representing a 3.6% drop from the previous closing price.
  • Meanwhile, Malta Properties Company plc remained unchanged at the €0.58 level across 57,900 shares.