Daily Market Highlights (24.08.2016)

  • The MSE Share Index moved into negative territory this morning as it shed 0.2% back to 4,430.578 amid dwindling volumes as only €86,396 worth of shares changed hands today. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the RF MGS Index trended lower for the first time in five sessions as it marginally dipped lower from its 16-month high and closed at 1,167.805 points. The decline in the Index reflected the minimal uptick registered across the benchmark 10-year German Bund yield as well as in yields across Spain and Italy.
  • Trading in the newly issued 2.4% MGS 2041 (I) r continued today with the price touching a new high of 106.25% before easing marginally lower to close at the 106.10% level – higher than yesterday’s CBM bid price and today’s price of 104.24%. Trading activity was robust with €3.76 million (nominal) changing hands across 97 trades.
  • During this morning’s session, the equity of Bank of Valletta plc eased 0.4% lower to the €2.23 level across low volumes of 5,980 shares.
  • Shallow volumes were also transacted in RS2 Software plc as its share price slipped 1.1% lower to a fresh 7-month low of €1.83 across two deals totalling 6,588 shares.
  • Likewise, FIMBank plc eased minimally lower to USD0.975 on a single trade of 2,200 shares.
  • The only other negative performing equity was 6pm Holdings plc as it slumped by 5.9% to a new 5-month low of GBP0.80 on a single deal of 1,030 shares.
  • On the other hand, the three other active equities ended today’s session unchanged. In the banking sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc closed unchanged at the €1.56 level after rebounding from an intra-day low of €1.55 across 27,371 shares.
  • Similarly, Lombard Bank Malta plc held on to the €2.20 level across a single trade of 4,517 shares ahead of the Bank’s interim results publication tomorrow.
  • Malta International Airport plc also traded unchanged at the €4.25 level on low volumes of 1,294 shares.