Daily Market Highlights (20.07.15)

  • The MSE Share Index inched marginally higher today to close at 4,158.661 points as MIA and RS2 Software reached new all-time highs. Lombard Bank’s shares also trended in positive territory whilst the share prices of BOV and HSBC eased marginally lower. A further five equities ended the session unchanged. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index trended in positive territory for the fifth consecutive session with a further 0.2% increase to a 3-week high of 1,123.035 points. This reflects the further declines in the 10-year yields of peripheral eurozone countries with Spain’s 10-year yield at 1.9% and Italy’s 10-year yield at 1.88%.
  • Last week, 6pm Holdings plc published a Prospectus dated 8 July 2015 in connection with a new €13 million bond issue. The 6pm bonds are reserved for shareholders as at the close of trading on 4 June 2015.
  • Demand for the shares of RS2 Software plc continued to emerge during this morning’s session helping the equity rise by a further 0.4% to reach yet another all-time high of €2.26 across eight deals totalling 14,930 shares.
  • Similarly, the share price of Malta International Airport plc moved up 1.4% to a fresh all-time high of €3.599 albeit on low volumes of 1,100 shares. The airport operator is shortly expected to issue its June traffic results and updated passenger forecasts for 2015. Meanwhile, the interim financial statements will be published on 29 July 2015.
  • The equity of Lombard Bank Malta plc also ended this morning’s session in positive territory with a 2.7% uplift over its previous closing price to regain the €1.87 level across 13,500 shares.
  • On the other hand, the share price of Bank of Valletta plc shed 0.5% back to the €2.27 level across eighteen deals totalling 55,435 shares.
  • Similarly, HSBC Bank Malta plc eased minimally lower during today’s trading session back to the €1.849 level on shallow volumes of 7,801 shares.
  • Meanwhile, GO plc’s share price held on to the €3.60 level on volumes of 12,000 shares. The telecoms quad-play operator is scheduled to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) this Wednesday 22 July 2015 in connection with the proposed property spin-off.
  • International Hotel Investments plc also closed the day unchanged at the €0.85 level on low volumes of 2,000 shares. Last Friday, IHI announced that holders of an aggregate of 97.2% of the shares in Island Hotels Group Holdings plc (IHG) have submitted their acceptance form in connection with the offer made by IHI to acquire the entire issued share capital of IHG. The remaining shareholders of IHG have until 31 July to respond to the offer.
  • A single deal of 419 shares of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc was executed at the equity’s all-time high of €4.95, representing no change from the previous closing price.
  • Likewise, the only two other active equities, namely Malita Investments plc and Mapfre Middlesea plc, held on to the €0.90 and €1.67 levels respectively both on shallow volumes.