Daily Market Highlights (22.04.16)

  • The MSE Share Index trended lower for the third consecutive session with a further 0.1% drop to 4,534.762 points as most of the large equities by market capitalisation eased into negative territory. Over the week, the local equity benchmark moved only marginally higher to 4,534.762 points on mixed weekly performances across the eight largest equities by market capitalisation listed on the Official List of the Malta Stock Exchange. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • During this morning’s trading session, the share price of Bank of Valletta plc was forced 0.2% lower back to the €2.26 level across seven deals totalling 19,206 shares. The Bank is scheduled to publish its interim results, covering the six months ended 31 March 2016, next Friday 29 April.
  • The equities of International Hotel Investments plc (-1.6% to €0.63) and GO plc (-0.03% to €3.479) also trended in negative territory albeit on shallow volumes. This morning, IHI announced that it will be publishing its 2015 full-year results on Tuesday 26 April.
  • Insignificant volumes were also registered in Medserv plc with just 1,500 shares changing hands across one deal at the €1.791 level representing a 0.5% drop from the previous closing price.
  • Similarly, MIDI plc’s equity shed 0.5% back to the €0.388 level on a single transaction of 4,150 shares.
  • On the other hand, FIMBank plc gained 1.4% to a fresh 2016 high of USD0.75 across 19,000 shares.
  • Similarly, Malta International Airport plc edged 0.7% higher to €4.33 across five deals totalling 11,340 shares. The airport operator is scheduled to hold its Annual General Meeting on 4 May.
  • Meanwhile, HSBC Bank Malta plc maintained the €1.60 level on very low volumes of 547 shares.
  • Likewise, Malta Properties Company plc held on to the €0.58 level across four deals totalling 22,989 shares.
  • The only other active equity today was RS2 Software plc with 260 shares trading unchanged at the €3.80 level ahead of the Group’s 2015 full-year results publication next Thursday 28 April.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index registered its fifth consecutive decline as it slipped by a further 0.2% to yet another five-week low of 1,148.115 points in response to yesterday afternoon’s rally in eurozone yields to around the 0.23% level. Yesterday afternoon, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced that it held both its deposit rate (-0.4%) and main refinancing rate (0%) unchanged as some signals indicated that the accommodative monetary policy stance has started to filter through the eurozone’s economy. Nonetheless, the upside in yields was also capped by Mr Draghi’s pledge to act if necessary especially in view of the growing downside risks as well as the threat of deflation.
  • Trading in the new 4.25% Corinthia Finance plc 2026 bonds commenced today with the price rising 450 basis points to 104.50% across a total of €49,700 (nominal).