Daily Market Highlights (23.01.2018)

  • The MSE Equity Price Index extended yesterday’s decline of 0.35% by a further 0.02% to a fresh one-month low of 4,451.882 points. Overall, the 1.4% declines in the share prices of RS2 and FIMBank outweighed the gains in MIA (+0.9%) and GO (+0.6%). Meanwhile, four other shares traded unchanged. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • The RF MGS Index moved higher for the third consecutive day as it added a further 0.21% to an over three-week high of 1,121.105 points. Euro zone sovereign yields drifted lower despite a surge in confidence among institutional investors and analysts across the single currency area. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund upgraded its forecasts for global economic growth to 3.9% for this year and the next as current economic condition reflect what the IMF termed as the “broadest synchronised global growth upsurge since 2010”. In the US, the Senate voted to end a government shutdown that started last Friday.
  • RS2 Software plc moved lower by a further 1.4% to an over eight-month low of €1.41 across 21,500 shares.
  • FIMBank plc also lost 1.4% to the USD0.68 level on just two deals totalling 5,800 shares.
  • In contrast, Malta International Airport plc rebounded by 0.9% to the €4.74 level after opening at a high of €4.80 (+2.1%). Only 1,025 shares changed hands. The financial results for 2017 and the recommendation of a final dividend will be announced on Wednesday 21 February 2018.
  • GO plc regained the €3.56 level (+0.6%) across 9,912 shares.
  • Trading activity in Bank of Valletta plc remained high. The equity closed the day unchanged at the €1.81 level on encouraging volumes totalling 94,152 shares.
  • On the other hand, Grand Harbour Marina plc, MIDI plc and Malta Properties Company plc traded on low volumes. The three equities ended flat at the €0.76, €0.34 and €0.442 levels respectively.