Daily Market Highlights (25.02.15)

  • The MSE Share Index shed a further 0.1% to 3,421.315 points largely due to the third consecutive decline in the share price of HSBC. Shares of RS2 Software also in negative territory whilst the share prices of MIA, IHI, Lombard and Tigne Mall trended higher. Meanwhile, a further five active equities ended the session unchanged. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged another 0.1% higher to a fresh all-time high of 1,129.944 points as 10-year Eurozone benchmark yields slipped back to 0.35% in anticipation of the start of the European Central Bank’s quantitative easing programme next month.
  • On Monday evening, the Treasury announced that the new issue of Malta Government Stocks was oversubscribed and the offering closed early. The Treasury is now expected to publish the issue statistics and allocation policy in the coming days.
  • The share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc registered its third consecutive decline following last Monday’s results publication which revealed a 42% decline in pre-tax profits to €52 million due to lower income, higher expenses as well as a steep rise in impairment charges. As a result, the total gross dividend in respect of the 2014 financial year also dropped by 48.1% to €0.071 per share. The Directors also recommended a 1 for 9 bonus issue to all shareholders as at the close of trading on 27 April 2015. HSBC’s equity closed 1.6% lower at the €1.87 level after only partially recovering from an intra-day low of €1.85 on lower volumes of 17,855 shares.
  • On the other hand, this morning Malta International Airport plc published record results for the financial year ended 31 December 2014. The airport operator registered a 15% growth in pre-tax profits to a new record of €26.1 million. The Directors recommended a final gross dividend of €0.1231 per share representing a 77.8% increase over last year’s final dividend. The total dividend declared in respect of the 2014 financial year amounts to a record €0.1693 per share (net: €0.11), an increase of 46.6% compared to the dividend distribution in respect of 2013. Shareholders as at the close of trading on 16 April will be eligible to receive the final dividend. The reaction on the secondary market was marginal due to the lack of supply. Nonetheless, the share price moved 1.2% higher to a fresh record of €2.681 on a single trade of just 690 shares.
  • Elsewhere on the secondary market, the share price of Lombard Bank Malta plc recovered yesterday’s decline with an equivalent €0.075 increase in its share price to regain the €1.90 level on a deal of 1,500 shares.
  • The equity of International Hotel Investments plc also closed in positive territory today with a marginal increase to the €0.631 level on shallow volumes of 6,387 shares.
  • On the other hand, RS2 Software plc eased 0.7% lower back to the €2.95 level across 8,500 shares.
  • Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta plc maintained the €2.12 level across 16 trades totalling 29,104 shares. Likewise, GO plc held on to the €0.70 level on volumes of just over 7,800 shares.
  • In the property sector, Tigné Mall plc jumped 4.3% higher to a fresh all-time high of €0.70 albeit on just 700 shares while Malita Investments plc traded unchanged at its all-time high of €0.77 across a single trade of 36,300 shares ahead of the Company’s full-year results publication tomorrow. Plaza Centres plc also held on to its multi-year high of €0.85 on weak activity of 1,000 shares.
  • Middlesea Insurance plc also closed the day unchanged at the €1.02 level ahead of the Group’s full-year results publication on 11 March.