Daily Market Highlights (27.02.2017)

  • The MSE Share Index advanced 0.17% to a new nine-year high of 4,755.662 points today, largely on the back of the 3.0% rebound in the share price of RS2 Software plc which climbed to the €1.698 level across 11,203 shares. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index extended the gains registered in the previous two days as it advanced by a further 0.54% – the sharpest daily uplift in two weeks – to a near five-week high of 1,130.444 points. Euro zone sovereign yields moved lower following comments made by the President of Germany’s central bank, Mr Jens Weidmann, that the European Central Bank (ECB) will not put a sudden end to its asset purchase programme. On the economic front, preliminary data showed that inflation in Spain for the month of February came in worse-than-expected. On the other hand, private sector lending in the single currency area advanced by a better-than-expected 2.2% year-on-year in January – the highest level of growth since November 2011.
  • Among the large companies, HSBC Bank Malta plc recaptured its three-year high of €2.06 (+0.5%) on healthy volumes totalling 56,653 shares. Last week, HSBC published its 2016 financial results showing slightly reduced profits on an adjusted basis. The Board of Directors recommended a final net dividend of €0.027 per share payable on 20 April 2017 to shareholders as at the close of trading on 10 March 2017, subject to shareholders’ approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 13 April 2017.
  • A single deal of just 2,990 shares lifted the equity of Santumas Shareholdings plc to a record high of €1.55 (+0.6%) whilst Loqus Holdings plc gained 3.0% to close at the €0.17 level on trivial volumes.
  • Low trading activity also took place in the equity of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc which closed flat at the €7.20 level.
  • In the banking sector, Bank of Valletta plc (6,381 shares) and FIMBank plc (41,000 shares) maintained the €2.19 and USD0.90 levels respectively. FIMBank is due to publish its 2016 financial results on 14 March 2017.
  • Five deals totalling 11,500 shares left the equity of GO plc at the €3.55 level. Last week, the telecoms Group revealed its 2016 financial results showing an improved EBITDA of €61.6 million (+19.4%) but profits after tax dropped by 23.2% to €20.3 million. Nonetheless, the Directors recommended a final net dividend of €0.11 per share which is 10% higher than the net dividend for FY2015. The dividend is payable on 5 May 2017 to all shareholders as at close of trading on Wednesday 29 March 2017.
  • MIDI plc held on to the €0.33 level across 42,500 shares.
  • In contrast, Malta Properties Company plc dropped by 0.6% to the €0.517 level on volumes totalling 30,000 shares.
  • Despite the record profitability for the year ended 31 December 2015 (revealed last week), the equity of Malta International Airport plc shed 1.2% today back to the €4.151 level across 9,600 shares. The Directors recommended an unchanged final net dividend of €0.07 per share, payable to all shareholders as at the close of trading on Thursday 6 April 2017 subject to shareholders’ approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 10 May 2017.