Daily Market Highlights (20.02.17)

  • The MSE Share Index retreated by 0.47% from last Friday’s nine-year high of 4,741.747 points to 4,719.596 points today. The total value of equities traded amounted to merely €0.08 million (the lowest level of daily trading activity this year) ahead of the annual reporting season which starts tomorrow with the publication of results by HSBC Bank Malta plc and GO plc. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index extended last Friday’s gains by a further 0.06% to a three-week high of 1,123.613 points. Euro zone sovereign yields remained close to last Friday’s levels despite fresh data showing that producer prices in Germany advanced by 0.7% month-on-month and by 2.4% year-on-year in January – both well-above expectations. Meanwhile, international financial media quoted one of the rate setters of the US Federal Reserve as saying that the US economy is on a “sound footing” and that she would be comfortable in raising interest rates at this point if the economy maintained its current pace of performance.
  • This afternoon, the Treasury is expected to publish the results of the recent Malta Government Stock issues.
  • Malta Properties Company plc shed 3.7% to a fresh five-month low of €0.52 across twelve deals totalling 69,000 shares.
  • Bank of Valletta plc moved marginally lower to the €2.19 level across 13,231 shares whilst HSBC Bank Malta plc fell 2.4% to the €2.00 level albeit on trivial volumes.
  • Meanwhile, a single deal of 5,000 shares left the equity of Malita Investments plc at the €0.81 level.
  • RS2 Software plc held on to its two-month low of €1.699 across 6,000 shares.