MSE Equity Price Index resurfaces above the 3,800 level

The MSE Equity Price Index increased by 0.36% to 3,801.364 points driven by the gains in IHI and Farsons. Meanwhile, five other equities closed unchanged as today’s trading activity in local equities was muted at just €0.02 million. Download today’s Equity Market Summary.

International Hotel Investments plc rebounded by 4.6% to the €0.454 level across two trades totalling 3,258 shares.

Simonds Farsons Cisk plc climbed 1.4% to a three-week high of €7.10 over three deals totalling 725 shares.

Bank of Valletta plc traded flat at the €1.34 level as 7,047 shares changed hands.

Also in the banking sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc held the €1.28 level on a single deal of 495 shares.

APS Bank plc stayed at the €0.56 level across four trades totalling 9,012 shares.

A single deal of 2,430 shares left the share price of Malta Properties Company plc unchanged at the €0.356 level.

Also in the property sector, Trident Estates plc remained at the €1.27 level on a single trade of 1,243 shares.

The RF MGS Index declined for the fourth consecutive session as it lost a further 0.16% to a one-month low of 890.335 points. The 10-year German bund yield climbed to a fresh one-month high of 2.30% following the release of the minutes of the ECB’s monetary policy meeting held on 14 December 2023. The minutes showed that policymakers believed that it was too early to discuss monetary policy easing and that the current restrictive stance would need to be maintained for longer. Nonetheless, policymakers recognised that the inflation outlook, underlying inflation, and the strength of policy transmission were all moving in the right direction. Meanwhile in the US, the availability of workers continued to decline as the number of Americans filing for unemployment last week fell more than expected to the lowest level in the last 16 months.

This report contains public information only and is not to be construed as investment advice or an offer to buy or sell any securities. Information contained herein is based on data obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but no representations or guarantees are made with regard to the accuracy of the data. Stock markets are volatile and subject to fluctuations which cannot be reasonably foreseen. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Rizzo, Farrugia & Co. (Stockbrokers) Limited is a company licensed to undertake investment services in Malta by the MFSA under the Investment Services Act, Cap—370 of the Laws of Malta and a member of the Malta Stock Exchange.