Daily Market Highlights (09.12.2010)

  • Local equity market closes in positive territory for the fifth successive session. MSE Share Index gains a further 0.3% to 3,495.848 points as the share prices of the two large banks continue to rise. Meanwhile Plaza’s share price sheds 4.1% to €1.65 whilst GO closes unchanged. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • Central Bank of Malta continues to lower indicative bid prices of Malta Government Stocks as the benchmark 10-year Eurozone yield reaches a seven month high of 3.0% this morning. The bid price of the 5.25% MGS 2030 (I) was lowered by 12 basis points to 101.20%. On the secondary market the price of the 5.25% MGS 2030 fungible issue dropped 75 basis points during this morning’s trading session to close at 102% on volumes totalling €196,268 (nominal).
  • BOV continues to rise approaching its 2010 closing high of €3.76 on 20 January 2010. BOV share price up a further 0.6% today to €3.749 across 26,093 shares. Investors acquiring BOV shares until 7 January 2011 will be entitled to the 1 for 5 bonus issue. BOV’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday 16 December.
  • HSBC’s share price also up during today’s session. Equity advances by 0.3% to €2.93 but volumes remain low on lack of offers below the €3.00 level.
  • GO’s share price unchanged at €1.919 after hitting an intra-day low of €1.881. 18,000 shares were exchanged today across 10 trades with further offers available at €1.92. On Tuesday GO announced that Forgendo increased its shareholding in Forthnet through an acquisition of a further 1,299,439 shares for a total consideration of €694,196, equivalent to €0.534 per share. Following this additional purchase of shares, Forgendo’s equity stake in Forthnet has increased from 39.88% to 40.71%. Further details available here.
  • Plaza traded for the first time since 15 November. Equity drops 4.1% to €1.65 on volumes of 10,000 shares. Last month Plaza issued a positive interim statement informing the market that during the third quarter of the financial year between 1 July and 30 September 2010, the company’s revenue increased when compared to the same period in 2009. Further details available here.
  • Last Tuesday MIA published the November 2010 traffic results revealing a further 12.5% increase in passenger movements – the highest number ever reached in this particular month. The increase in passenger traffic was mainly due to the 11.8% growth in seat capacity over the same month in 2009. MIA now boasts a 13% growth in passenger movements since the start of the year which far exceeds the 8% forecast. Further details available here.