Daily Market Highlights (29.07.15)

  • During this morning’s trading session, the MSE Share Index trended higher for the third consecutive session with a further 0.8% increase to reach yet another 7-year high of 4,205.810 points as various equities closed in positive territory. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged 0.1% higher to 1,129.577 points as benchmark yields across the eurozone drifted marginally lower.
  • Most notably, GO plc shares advanced for the third successive session with a further 0.6% increase to €3.50 on strong volumes of 40,765 shares. Last Thursday the company revealed that its majority shareholder Emirates International Telecommunications (Malta) Limited (EIT) intended to dispose of its 60% shareholding in GO in the ‘short-term’. On Sunday afternoon, EIT issued a press release explaining that the process of disposing of its stake has just been initiated and therefore it has no yet identified a buyer for its shares. Last week, the quad-play telecoms operator also held an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) during which shareholders approved all the items on the agenda in connection with the proposed property spin-off.
  • Malta International Airport plc also performed positively with the equity advancing by 0.5% to the €3.97 level across seven deals totalling 34,750 shares. Last week, the airport operator revealed record passenger numbers for the first six months of 2015 and upgraded its 2015 passenger growth forecast to +4.6%. MIA is scheduled to publish its interim financial statements later on today.
  • In the financial sector, the share price of Bank of Valletta plc edged 0.4% higher to regain the €2.28 level across 24,889 shares. Similarly, the equity of Mapfre Middlesea plc ended this morning’s session at the €1.99 level representing a 10.6% uplift from the previous closing price on total volumes of 18,500 shares. However, only 35 shares traded at the closing price while the balance traded in the region of €1.85.
  • Simonds Farsons Cisk plc shares also climbed another 4% to reach yet another fresh all-time high of €5.15 albeit on continued shallow activity of 335 shares.
  • Low volumes were also traded in International Hotel Investments plc as the equity edged 1.1% higher to recapture the €0.84 level on a single trade of 5,000 shares.
  • The only other positive performing equity was MIDI plc with a 1.5% uplift to the €0.345 level across 30,000 shares. MIDI will be publishing their interim financial statements on 31 August.
  • On the other hand, the share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc retreated by 1.1% back to the €1.80 level on shallow volumes of 8,161 shares.
  • Similarly, the share price of RS2 Software plc trended in negative territory today with a 0.1% decline to €2.199 as the rebound from the opening price of €2.19 to an intra-day high of €2.25 was short-lived. A total of 75,634 shares changed hands today across twelve deals.
  • Meanwhile, no changes were recorded in the share prices of Malita Investments plc and Tigné Mall plc at €0.90 and €0.87 respectively.