Local bourse moves 1% up on the week
Weekly Round-Up — 4th — 8th February 2008
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Local bourse moves 1% up on the week
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The Malta Stock Exchange Index gained 0.91% to close at 4,860.50 points during a week in which thirteen equities were active. FIMBank, followed by International Hotel Investments were the best weekly performers, while Middlesea Insurance and Datatrak Holdings suffered the largest share price declines.
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A total of 305 deals were registered on the stock exchange for a turnover above EUR4.11 million. In the equity market 234 deals were executed for a traded value of EUR1.37 million, while 66 transactions were performed in local corporate bonds and government stocks for a turnover just below the EUR2 million mark. In addition, 5 deals were executed in Treasury Bills for EUR768,066.
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For the second consecutive week FIMBank was the top equity performer, rising by a further 5.2% to close at the US$2.02 level and putting it nearly 16% up year-to-date. Trading in the equity was strong during the week as 82,117 shares changed hands across twenty deals.
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Within the same sector, HSBC Bank Malta advanced 1.4% on rather low activity as just 16,154 shares were transacted over twenty deals. The equity touched a weekly low price of EUR4.66 before closing at EUR4.725. Meanwhile on Wednesday, the Board of Directors of HSBC announced that it is schedule to meet on 18th February to consider and approve the Bank’s and Group’s final audited accounts for the financial year ended 31st December 2007 and to also consider the declaration of a final dividend.
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On the other hand, Bank of Valletta dropped 1% to close at EUR6.249 on a volume of 67,850 shares which were negotiated across forty-six deals, and which placed the equity nearly 8% down year-to-date. Lombard Bank also performed negatively over the week declining by 3.7% on thin volume to close at the EUR13.00 level.
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The second best equity performer of the week was International Hotel Investments which saw nearly 122,000 shares transacted over twelve deals to gain 5% and close at EUR1.05. During the week, the company announced that together with Libyan Foreign Investment Company (LFICO) and Istithmar Hotel FZE of Dubai, acting as a joint-venture, it entered into an Exclusivity and Development Agreement with Crown Estate of the UK to develop a 283-bedroom deluxe five-star hotel and luxury apartments in a prestigious location in central London.
Back to trading on the stock exchange, Maltapost kept registering increases in its share price, advancing by a further 1.5% and closing at EUR0.665, having also touched a weekly high of EUR0.671. This was the most active equity having traded over 350,000 shares across seventy-three deals. Crimsonwing had 71,289 shares traded across nineteen deals to add 3.5% and end the week at the EUR0.60 level. GO was the only active equity to close unchanged, having 22,195 shares swap hands across twelve deals to close 3c below its weekly high at EUR3.03.
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Middlesea Insurance was the worst equity performer, declining by 5% to EUR3.66 on low activity. Datatrak Holdings also lost 5% to end at EUR0.29. Plaza Centres lost 1.5% and closed at EUR1.537 on two minor transactions, while Malta International Airport shares dropped nearly 1% to EUR3.17 on a volume over 80,000 shares. In addition, Simonds Farsons Cisk shed 1.67% and closed at EUR2.36 on a volume of 2,000 shares.
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With regard to trading in the local bond market, the traded value in Malta Government Stocks amounted to over EUR1.55 million in Malta Government Stocks, the majority of which was recorded in the 5% MGS 2021 which closed at EUR102.70, and the 5.4% MGS 2010 which closed at EUR102.98. In local corporate bonds the total turnover amounted to EUR420,884 with fifteen bonds being active during the week.
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This article which was compiled by Jesmond Mizzi Financial Services Limited (JMFS) does not intend to give investment advice and the contents therein should not be construed as such. JMFS is licensed to conduct investment services by the MFSA. The directors or related parties, including the company, and their clients are likely to have an interest in securities mentioned in this article. For further information please contact JFMS at 67/3 South Street Valletta or on tel: 21224410 or email [email protected]