Daily Market Highlights (27.12.10)

  • HSBC, BOV and IHI lead the local equity market into positive territory for the third consecutive session helping the MSE Share Index rise another 1.5% this morning to 3,697.747 – a new 10-month high. Middlesea also traded higher today whilst Island Hotel Group shares closed unchanged on low volumes. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • Central Bank of Malta Stockbroker lowered its Malta Government Stock bid prices as the benchmark Eurozone yield surpassed the 3% level. The Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index dropped by 0.14% to 991.24 points.
  • BOV almost recovered all of last week’s 2.9% drop as it closed 2.7% higher this morning at €3.801 after easing from an intra-day high of €3.811 on volumes in excess of 22,000 shares. Shareholders on the register as at close of trading on Friday 7 January 2011 will be entitled to the 1 for 5 bonus issue which was approved by shareholders during the recent Annual General Meeting.
  • HSBC shares also in positive territory as the equity recovered by a further 1.6% this morning to regain the €3.15 level on volumes of 28,000 shares. HSBC share price at its highest level since 9 April 2010. Further offers in the market at the last traded price whilst best bids now placed at the €3.11 level.
  • IHI continued to build on last week’s 18.9% rally as its share price climbs a further 2.3% today to close at its 2010 high of €0.90. Only 3,215 shares changed hands with few other shares on offer at the closing price. The IHI Group recently announced that its undertaking a private placement of new shares at a price higher than the nominal value of €1.00. Further details available here.
  • A single deal of just 500 Middlesea shares helped the equity of the insurance company rise by 1.4% to regain the €1.015 level. Offers already placed lower at €1.01 whilst best bids placed at the €0.90 level.
  • Just 100 IHG Holdings shares transacted at the €0.90 level, unchanged from the previous closing price. Further offers unsatisfied at the last traded price but best bids pitched substantially lower at the €0.551 level.
  • Santumas Shareholdings, the only close-ended investment scheme listed on the Malta Stock Exchange, traded for the first time in over two months. A single trade of 1,250 shares exchanged today at the €2.565 level representing a marginal decline from the previous close. Last week, Santumas Shareholdings published its October 2010 interim results revealing a loss for the period of just over €81,000 compared to the profit of €295,878 registered in the comparable period last year. Further details on the half-year results available here.