Daily Market Highlights (30.10.15)

  • The MSE Share Index extended yesterday’s decline by a further 0.17% to 4,339.412 points as the negative performance of HSBC and two other equities outweighed the gains registered in BOV. Trading activity remained above the €200,000 mark as weekly total volumes hit a seven-week high. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index closed 0.2% lower at 1,143.095 points as better than expected German inflation and business sentiment data pushed the 10-year German bund yield from yesterday’s level of 0.46% level to 0.51% today. Nonetheless, yields across the eurozone still remain under pressure in anticipation of further monetary stimulus that the European Central Bank is expected to unleash in the upcoming Monetary Policy meeting taking place early in December 2015.
  • Bank of Valletta plc advanced by 1.7% to regain the €2.44 level on volumes of 27,445 shares as the market awaited the publication of the September 2015 full-year financial statements. These were published shortly after the close of the trading session. BOV reported a 13.3% increase in pre-tax profits to a record of €117.9 million. The Directors are recommending the payment of a final gross dividend of €0.085 per share (final net dividend of €0.05525 per share), which together with the gross dividend of €0.039 per share paid for the first six months of the year, make for a total gross dividend for the year of €0.124 per share, unchanged over last year. This year’s final dividend is payable to those shareholders as at close of trading on Friday 13 November. Moreover, a bonus share issue of 1 new share for every 12 shares held will be allotted to shareholders as at close of trading on 13 January 2016. Moreover, the Directors also confirmed that it will shortly be increasing its Tier 2 capital through the issuance of subordinated debt on the local market as part of its capital planning programme.
  • The other positive performer of the day was Tigne’ Mall plc as a single deal of just 400 shares pushed the equity 1.1% higher to the €0.95 level.
  • On the other hand, HSBC Bank Malta plc lost 2.4% as the equity retreated back to the €1.80 level on heightened activity totalling 58,250 shares.
  • MIDI plc eased by 2.8% to €0.35 on a single deal totalling 10,000 shares and Simonds Farsons Cisk plc closed 1.6% lower at the €6.00 level on insignificant volumes of 849 shares.
  • Meanwhile, GO plc and Plaza Centres plc closed today’s trading session unchanged at the €3.30 and €0.99 levels respectively. Yesterday evening, the shareholders of GO approved the necessary resolutions giving the company’s Directors the required authority to seek bids from bona fide offerors for the Company’s entire issued share capital and to make such disclosures, including disclosure of unpublished price sensitive information, to enable this to happen.