MSE

Trading Report for week ending December 4, 2009

HSBC

shares back on track

The Malta

Stock Exchange Index fell by 0.35 per cent this week, during which it

struggled to maintain the Index around the yearly high which it reached last

week. The initial two sessions ended in decline as the Index registered losses

of 0.595 per cent and 0.239 per cent respectively. Some of these losses were

retracted on Wednesday and Thursday, however yesterday more losses were

unleashed as the Index closed at 3,339.482 points. Activity over the week

fluctuated as trading volume and value commenced at low levels, while soaring

during Wednesday and Thursday sessions, with trading volumes recorded their

lowest level yesterday. Eleven equities were traded as four closed in positive

territory, five ended in the red while the remaining two were unchanged.

A total of 345 deals were registered this

week with a turnover of over €17m. In the equity

market 148 deals were executed for a total value of €411,620 while in the corporate bond market 128 transactions

were registered for a value traded of €864,084. A total of 62 deals were

registered in the government bond market

for a value of just under €12.5m. In the treasury

bills market, a total of six transactions were executed for a total value

of over €3.6m.

HSBC

Bank Malta plc was this week’s overall best performing equity as the

equity registered a week-on-week gain of 5.23 per cent. HSBC registered four

consecutive positive trading sessions from Monday to Thursday, were the equity

traded at a low of €3.08 and a high of €3.27, which the equity registered

during Thursday’s session. However, yesterday the price depreciated by 0.92 per

cent or €0.03c to close the week at €3.22 as just under 39,000 shares were

traded over 40 deals.

From the banking sector Bank of Valletta plc was the worst

performing equity as the equity lost €0.10c throughout the week. Hence the

price now stands at €3.70, 2.63 per cent lower than the last week’s closing

price. Total transactions in BOV remained high as 46 deals were executed for a

total of 34,609 shares. The equity’s year-to-date performance remains strong at

just under 28 per cent.

Activity in Lombard Bank plc and FIMBank

plc remained low for the second week

running. The latter was left unchanged for the second consecutive week as the

price lingered at €1.11 as only three deals were executed for a total volume of

just over 4,000 shares. Lombard

traded only during Thursday’s session as 800 shares were traded over a single

deal. The equity registered a slight price decline of 0.68 per cent and now

stands at €2.78.

GO plc registered

another positive week-on-week result as the equity price soared by 2.58 per

cent. The equity traded at a low of €1.90, registered on Monday and a high of

€1.99, recorded during the week’s closing session. During the first four

sessions the equity lost some value on Monday, remained unchanged on Tuesday

and Wednesday, while gains were registered on Wednesday.  On Friday the equity registered further gains

reaching a new yearly high. Twenty six transactions were executed as 36,545

shares were traded.

Middlesea

Insurance plc (MSI) ended the week in the red as the equity

registered losses during four trading sessions. MSI proved to be the most

liquid equity on the MSE during the week as 65,947 shares were traded across 22

deals, with Thursday’s session taking the lion’s share as nearly 49,000 shares

were traded. MSI’s share price depreciated during the first three sessions,

gained some ground on Thursday, but unleashed further losses yesterday. The

equity’s price now stands at €0.634.

Maltapost

plc and

Malta International Airport plc (MIA) both

registered gains as the two equities traded only during one single session.

Just over 3,000 shares were traded in MIA

on Wednesday on a single deal, which lifted the price by a mere 0.04 per

cent to reach €2.40. Maltapost shares traded only yesterday as 2,529 shares

were negotiated across two transactions closing at €0.65, having appreciated by

2.36 per cent over the previous week.

Trading in Plaza Centres plc took place on Monday and Wednesday as 10,000

shares were traded over two transactions. The equity traded unchanged on the

opening sessions while it lost ground in the mid-week sessions as the price

plunged to €1.56, hence ending the week in decline by 2.5%.

International

Hotel Investments plc (IHI) lost a hefty 8.54 per cent as 19,316

shares were traded over four transactions. The equity opened the week at a high

of €0.80 and closed the week at a low of €0.75. Meanwhile Island Hotels Group Holdings plc traded unchanged during the week

as one single transaction of 500 shares was executed on Monday at €1.02.

This article, which was compiled by Jesmond

Mizzi, Managing Director of 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 contact JMFS at

67/3, South Street, Valletta or on Tel: 21224410 or email [email protected].