Daily Market Highlights (28.03.13)

  • The MSE Share Index slipped back into negative territory with a 0.4% drop to 3,322.580 points in line with the declines in HSBC, BOV and MIA which offset the increases in the share prices of GO, Middlesea Insurance, RS2 Software and Lombard Bank. Meanwhile, the other two active equities ended the session unchanged. Download a copy of the Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged a further 0.1% higher to yet another 29-month high of 1,016.849 points as Eurozone yields slid to a new 7-month low of 1.249% on the back of the developments in Cyprus. However, by this afternoon, yields on German recovered marginally to 1.276% as there was no evidence of a bank panic to the extent that was originally expected.
  • The share price of BOV was heading for a weekly increase before dropping back to the €2.25 level during the final minutes of the session to close unchanged. A total of 21,380 shares changed hands today with bids already placed higher at the €2.26 level.
  • Meanwhile, HSBC ended the week 0.6% higher as this morning’s 0.4% drop to the €2.736 level on volumes of 9,186 shares only partially offset the gains registered in the earlier part of the week.
  • Similarly, MIA ended this week in positive territory despite trimming some of its recent gains with a 1.5% decline during this morning’s session back to the €1.86 level on a single deal of 3,000 shares.
  • On the other hand, GO trended higher for the second consecutive session with a further 1.9% increase to the €1.599 level – the equity’s highest closing price in 2 years – across sixteen trades totalling 84,730 shares. Next Tuesday is the final session for investors to gain entitlement to the net dividend of €0.10 per share.
  • The share price of RS2 Software edged 2.2% higher to a new record of €0.92 on volumes of 8,300 shares. This equity is up 1.1% this week.
  • A small trade of 500 Middlesea Insurance shares (active for the first time this week) was transacted at the €0.86 level representing a 7.5% increase over the previous close.
  • Meanwhile, Lombard Bank traded for the first time without the entitlement to the dividend with 4,000 shares changing hands at the €2.00 level, representing a minimal increase over the previous close.
  • No changes were registered in the share prices of the two other active equities with IHI holding on to the €0.775 level across 20,100 shares and Crimsonwing maintaining the €0.57 level on a deal of 5,200 shares.