Daily Market Highlights (23.08.2018)

  • The MSE Equity Price Index moved higher for the first time in four days as it added 0.21% to 4,290.219 points. The gains in the share prices of BOV and GO led the local equity index higher whilst MIA and MaltaPost both drifted lower. Overall, trading volumes eased to a one-month low of €0.11 million. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • Following the gains in the previous two days, the RF MGS Index today slipped by 0.17% to 1,094.988 points. Eurozone sovereign yields trended further higher as preliminary surveys gauging sentiment among German and French purchasing managers exceeded forecasts. Furthermore, the release of the minutes of last month’s ECB monetary policy meeting showed that despite the increased risks related to global trade, economic recovery and inflation in the euro area remain on a sound path.
  • Bank of Valletta plc rebounded by 1% to close at the €1.515 level across 21,419 shares.
  • GO plc regained the €3.44 level (+1.2%) on a single deal of just 1,685 shares.
  • Low trading activity also took place in the equities of Malita Investments plc and Plaza Centres plc. Malita added 2.4% to the €0.87 level whilst Plaza climbed 2% to recapture the €1.03 level.
  • Also within the property segment, Trident Estates plc traded unchanged at the €1.33 level across 6,646 shares.
  • HSBC Bank Malta plc (7,828 shares) and RS2 Software plc (5,050 shares) also closed the day unchanged at the €1.90 and €1.19 levels respectively. RS2 is due to publish its interim results next Tuesday 28 August.
  • Meanwhile, MaltaPost plc slipped to a new 2018 low of €1.64 (-0.6%) on volumes totalling 20,172 shares.
  • Malta International Airport plc eased by 0.9% back to the €5.60 level across 2,285 shares.
  • Today, PG plc announced that shareholders as at close of trading yesterday will be entitled to a net interim dividend. If approved by the Company’s Directors on 28 August, the interim dividend will be paid on 5 September. PG’s equity remained inactive today.
  • Lombard Bank Malta plc published its interim financial results today. The bank reported a 39% jump in net profits to €3.72 million on the back of solid growth in income which outweighed the rise in costs. The Directors expressed their satisfaction with the financial performance of Lombard and said that following the transfer of a substantial amount of Lombard shares from Cyprus Popular Bank Public Co. Ltd. to the National Development and Social Fund (“NDSF”), the Bank now looks forward to the next phase during which the NDSF divests itself of the larger part of the same shares. The equity remained inactive today.
  • Santumas Shareholdings plc published its full-year results (covering the 12 months ended 30 April 2018) today. The company reported a net loss of €0.17 million reflecting both reduced income as well as negative fair value movements on investments. The equity remained inactive today.