Daily Market Highlights (15.07.10)

  • MSE Share Index edges 0.2% higher to close at 3,466.422 points as BOV recovers and offsets the declines in MaltaPost (-5.2%) and MIA (-0.1%). The other three active equities close unchanged. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • Fresh demand for BOV shares helps the equity rise 1.2% to regain the €3.24 level on increased volumes of over 11,400 shares. Further bids remained unsatisfied at the closing price with lowest offers still pitched at the €3.28 level.
  • Meanwhile HSBC trades unchanged at the €3.00 level ahead of the Bank’s interim financial results scheduled to be published on Friday 30 July. Over 7,800 shares changed hands today with few other offers outstanding at the last traded price.
  • MIA’s share price eases minimally lower today to €1.56 on volumes of 12,272 shares. Shortly after the close of today’s trading session, the company published the June traffic statistics. The figures reveal a 19.3% increase over June 2009 resulting in a 10.3% increase in passenger movement for the first six months of 2010. Moreover, MIA is again increasing its passenger growth forecast for the year to 8%. Further details on the traffic results is available here. The airport operator is expected to report its half-year financial results on 29 July.
  • GO opened marginally higher before fresh sale orders push the share price back to the €1.90 level, unchanged from the previous close. Four trades totalling 3,225 shares exchanged this morning with best bids now placed at the €1.85 level whilst lowest offers remain unsatisfied at the closing price.
  • On the other hand, IHI recovered from an intraday low of €0.78 to also close unchanged at the €0.80 level. Five trades amounting to 20,000 shares transacted today with further offers in the market at the closing price.  The IHI Group is scheduled to hold its Annual General Meeting on Friday 23 July. During the meeting shareholders will be asked to approve a number of resolutions including one which empowers the Directors to issue 200 million new shares with a nominal value of €1.00. The resolution also allows the Directors to issue the shares before offering them to existing shareholders at a price not below the nominal value.
  • MaltaPost shares decline 5.2% to the €0.806 level. Just over 3,100 shares trade today with further bids outstanding at the closing price whilst lowest offers placed substantially higher at the €0.95 level.