Daily Market Highlights (30.03.16)

  • The MSE Share Index advanced 1.0% and closed at a three-week high of 4,563.154 points following gains in IHI, RS2 and MIA. Total value traded remained under the €300,000 mark for the fourth consecutive trading session. Trading on the Borza will now resume on Friday. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index gained another 0.10% to 1,155.822 points – the highest reading since early May 2015. Eurozone bond yields remained under pressure following remarks by US Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen, who yesterday expressed concern over the slow global growth stemming from China’s slowdown and low oil prices. The 10-year benchmark German Bund yield stayed anchored at the 0.15% level, slightly up from yesterday’s intra-day low of 0.14%.
  • International Hotel Investments plc was the best performing equity today with a jump of 9.4% to the €0.70 level albeit on very shallow volumes totalling 1,016 shares.
  • RS2 Software plc closed in positive territory for the seventh consecutive trading session as the equity gained 0.8% to the €3.75 level across 15,180 shares.
  • Malta International Airport plc extended yesterday’s gains by a further 0.2% to the €4.499 level across 17,609 shares. The equity will start trading without the entitlement to the recently declared final dividend as from Friday 1 April.
  • In the property segment, MIDI plc and Malta Properties Company plc closed higher on low volumes. MIDI gained 2.7% to a near four-year high of €0.38 whilst MPC regained the €0.57 level (+1.8%). On Monday, MIDI announced a record post-tax profit figure of €9.92 million. The company also declared a final net dividend of €0.007 per share. This is payable on 27 May to all shareholders as at close of trading on 7 April, subject to shareholders’ approval at an Annual General Meeting to be held on 12 May.
  • A single deal of just 3,367 shares pushed the equity of 6PM Holdings plc 6.3% higher to a new all-time high of GBP0.85. On Monday, 6PM revealed that third parties have shown an interest in the acquisition of shares currently held by shareholders holding a substantial shareholding in 6PM. An Extraordinary General Meeting will be held in order for shareholders to consider whether to furnish in confidence such information including unpublished price-sensitive information as may be necessary to enable the bona fide offerors, the bona fide transferors and their advisers to make, confirm, withdraw or modify any offer, in accordance with the provisions of the Listing Rules.
  • On the other hand, Malita Investments plc retreated to a four month low of €0.92 (-3.2%) across 10,000 shares.
  • Lombard Bank Malta plc declined 0.5% to the €2.20 level across 7,200 shares. Last week, Lombard announced that it had been notified by the Special Administrator of Cyprus Popular Bank Public Co Ltd (CPB), which in turn has a 48.9% stake in Lombard, that it approved the disposal of CPB’s entire shareholding in the Bank.
  • Also in the banking sector, Bank of Valletta plc (28,315 shares) and FIMBank plc (29 shares) maintained the €2.25 and USD0.735 levels respectively. FIMBank shareholders as at the close of trading on 6 April will be eligible to the 1-for-25 bonus issue, subject to regulatory as well as shareholders’ approval.
  • Similarly, Medserv plc (17,000 shares) and Tigne’ Mall plc (34,984 shares) also closed unchanged at €1.70 and €1.049 respectively. The 2015 financial statement of Tigne Mall will be published on 15 April.