Daily Market Highlights (29.12.15)

  • The MSE Share Index slipped by 0.23% to 4,416.017 points as the negative performance of four equities outweighed the gains registered in another four shares. Most notably, trading volumes surged to a two-week high totalling €717,000, mostly on substantial turnover in the equity of Lombard Bank. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index advanced by 0.17% to 1,136.793 points as the yield of the benchmark 10-year German Bund eased from the 0.61% level of yesterday to 0.59% today following some stabilisation in the price of oil.
  • A total of 198,298 Lombard Bank Malta plc shares changed hands today at the €2.485 level, representing a 0.2% increase over the previous closing price.
  • Also in the banking sector, the equity of Bank of Valletta plc advanced by 0.4% to the €2.355 level (the highest since mid-November) across 33,661 shares. The Bank’s shares will trade with the entitlement for the 1 for 12 bonus share issue until 13 January 2016 and will turn ex-bonus from the following trading day.
  • The two other positive performers of the day were MaltaPost plc and MIDI plc. Following last Wednesday’s 8.6% decline, the equity of the postal operator rebounded slightly by 0.7% to the €1.812 across 8,772 shares. The Company will be holding its Annual General Meeting on 15 January 2016.
  • MIDI plc also trended higher with a gain of 0.3% to the €0.365 level across three deals totalling 65,770 shares.
  • On the other hand, Malita Investments plc declined by 3.5% to the €0.95 level albeit on insignificant volumes.
  • A single deal totalling 23,000 shares of FIMBank plc was traded at USD0.65, representing a 3.0% decline over the previous closing price.
  • Amongst the large caps, International Hotel Investments plc and HSBC Bank Malta plc also trended lower. The equity of IHI declined by 1.3% to the €0.75 level – a new seven-month low – on negligible trading volumes totalling 5,509 shares.
  • Likewise, the equity of HSBC Bank Malta plc failed to hold on to an intra-day high of €1.78, and closed at the €1.741 level (-0.2%) across 10,632 shares.
  • Meanwhile, five equities closed the day unchanged. Malta International Airport plc (€4.00) and RS2 Software plc (€3.16) continued to trade close to their respective all-time highs. Last week, MIA announced that it is expecting a record 4.6 million passengers during the whole of 2015 (+7.3% compared to 2014). On the back of this growth, MIA also revealed plans for a €78 million capital investment programme comprising a number of rehabilitation and upgrade initiatives on the airfield side, embellishments and expansion of the terminal building as well as a €40 million business centre (branded SkyParks 2).
  • The equities of Mapfre Middlesea plc (€2.30), 6PM Holdings plc (GBP0.70) and Malta Properties Company plc (€0.50) also closed the day unchanged.
  • Tomorrow is the last trading session on the Malta Stock Exchange for 2015.