Daily Market Highlights (14.12.2010)

  • MSE Share Index continues to rise and closes in positive territory for the sixth consecutive session. Index gains 0.6% to 3,524.530 points as HSBC climbs 3.1% offsetting declines in IHI (-1.3%) and Island Hotels Group (-5.3%) both closing at fresh lows. GO and RS2 Software also decline with BOV, Lombard, FIMBank and MIA remaining unchanged. Meanwhile indicative bid prices of Malta Government Stocks revised lower as benchmark 10-year Eurozone yield rises back up to 2.97%. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary .
  • HSBC’s share price surpasses the €3.00 level for the first time since 5 August. HSBC’s equity gains 3.1% to close at €3.02 on renewed demand. All outstanding offers at the €3.00 level cleared soon after the market opened this morning. A total of 37,190 shares exchanged today over 17 trades. Best offers now stand at the €3.095 level.
  • Meanwhile BOV‘s equity remains unchanged at €3.770 after touching an intra-day high of €3.78 on total volumes amounting to 11,708 shares. Remaining offers now at €3.799 whilst bids are already placed above the closing price at €3.771. 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.
  • The other two local banks, Lombard and FIMBank close the day unchanged. Lombard remains at the €2.57 level on activity of 7,700 shares while large volumes amounting to 78,091 shares exchanged in FIMBank at the US$0.94 level.
  • GO’s share price reversed last week’s gains as it fell 1.1% to close at €1.90 over 2,100 shares. Last week 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.
  • MIA’s share price unchanged at €1.65 as all offers amounting to 14,469 shares were satisfied. Lowest offers now placed at €1.66. Last week 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. Further details available here.
  • IHI’s equity declines by 1.33% to close at a new 2010 low of €0.74 over 20,000 shares. Further demand for the equity at the closing price with offers in the market at the €0.75 level.
  • Share price of Island Hotels Group plunges 5.3% to close at an all-time low of €0.899 over a single trade of 1,000 shares. Further offers remain unsatisfied at the closing price with bids pitched significantly lower at €0.551.
  • Three trades totalling 5,000 RS2 Software shares transacted at the €0.48 level, representing a 4% decline from the previous close. Another 7,900 shares on offer at the closing price whilst best bids still pitched at the €0.25 level.
  • Meanwhile, Loqus Holdings plc jumps 11.1% to close at €0.20 on a single trade of only 300 shares.