Daily Market Highlights (25.01.2018)

  • The MSE Equity Price Index extended yesterday’s gains by a further 0.09% to 4,478.298 points. Trading activity was spread across fourteen shares – five trended higher, another five equities posted declines whilst four closed the day unchanged. Volumes improved markedly, mostly reflecting heightened activity in the equity of RS2 Software plc which gained 2.1% from its near nine-month low of €1.40 to the €1.43 level across 218,883 shares. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • Following yesterday’s decline of 0.14%, the RF MGS Index edged 0.06% higher to 1,120.169 points even though euro zone sovereign yields continued to trend higher today reflecting the issuance of further positive economic data across the single currency area. Meanwhile, during the monetary policy meeting held this afternoon, the ECB left its benchmark interest rate unchanged.
  • HSBC Bank Malta plc and Bank of Valletta plc also performed positively today. HSBC recaptured the €1.79 level (+0.6%) on seven deals totalling 13,855 shares and BOV added 0.5% to the €1.83 level across 98,029 shares.
  • Grand Harbour Marina plc erased yesterday’s 1.3% drop as it moved back to the €0.76 level across 30,147 shares.
  • In the property segment, Malta Properties Company plc climbed 0.9% to the €0.446 level on trivial volumes.
  • In contrast, Plaza Centres plc moved back to the €1.02 level (-1%) across 14,200 shares.
  • MaltaPost plc was the worst performing equity today with a decline of 2.5% to the €1.99 level on three deals totalling 4,022 shares. The company is scheduled to hold its Annual General Meeting on 9 February 2018.
  • GO plc lost 1.1% to the €3.52 level across 14,000 shares and PG plc retracted back to €1.39 (-0.7%) on a single deal of just 8,000 shares.
  • Mapfre Middlesea plc ended 2.2% lower at the €1.78 level after failing to hold on to an intra-day high of €1.84 (+1.1%). A total of 3,349 shares changed hands.
  • Meanwhile, Malta International Airport plc (1,000 shares) and Lombard Bank Malta plc (9,442 shares) traded unchanged at the €4.90 and €2.30 levels respectively.
  • MIDI plc closed flat at €0.34 on encouraging volumes of 304,909 shares after recording an intra-day high of €0.348 (+2.4%).
  • Four deals totalling 30,500 shares left the equity of Santumas Shareholdings plc at the €1.50 level.