Low trading volumes across 12 equities

The MSE Equity Price Index fell by 0.87% to a six-week low of 3,719.399 points as the declines in APS, IHI, Malita, and Mapfre outweighed the gains in BOV, MIDI, and Farsons. Meanwhile, five other equities ended the session unchanged as trading activity was muted across all the equities which traded today. Download today’s Equity Market Summary.

APS Bank plc shed 1.8% to the €0.54 level across four deals totalling 7,400 shares.

Also among the large companies by market value, International Hotel Investments plc dropped by 10% to the €0.45 as 3,389 shares changed hands.

A single trade of 20,000 shares pulled the share price of Malita Investments plc 0.8% lower to the €0.48 level. Malita is holding its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 30 May.

Mapfre Middlesea plc plummeted by 14.1% to the €1.22 level on trivial volumes.

In contrast, Bank of Valletta plc advanced by 1.4% to the €1.42 level across four deals amounting to 7,060 shares. BOV is holding its Annual General Meeting on Friday 31 May.

MIDI plc climbed 3.3% higher to the €0.25 level on a single trade of 7,200 shares. The Directors of MIDI are recommending the payment of a net dividend of €0.009 per share to shareholders as at the close of trading on Friday 24 May, subject to shareholders’ approval during the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 27 June 2024.

Simonds Farsons Cisk plc moved 0.7% higher to the €6.75 level on one deal of 500 shares. Farsons is expected to publish the full-year results for the financial year ended 31 January 2024 on Wednesday 29 May.

HSBC Bank Malta plc traded flat at the €1.41 level across volumes of 6,174 shares.

Malta International Airport plc held the €5.70 level on a single trade of 400 shares.

Tigné Mall plc stayed at the €0.83 level as 7,500 shares changed hands. The Directors of Tigné Mall are recommending the payment of a final net dividend of €0.01445 per share to all shareholders as at the close of trading on 19 June 2024.

PG plc and MaltaPost plc closed unchanged at the €1.93 and €0.456 levels respectively.

The RF MGS Index remained virtually unchanged at 890.436 points. Yesterday, the Federal Reserve published the minutes of its most recent meeting which showed that policymakers are still concerned with the current inflation levels and are not convinced that prices will continue to ease. They had unanimously voted to keep the benchmark rates unchanged and indicted that rate cuts will not be considered imminently.

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.