MSE

Trading Report for week ending January 22, 2010

MSE

Index up 6.1 per cent

The Malta

Stock Exchange Index maintained its streak of positive results for the

third week running, having gained 6.11 per cent to close the week at 3,919.719

points. In fact the Index recorded respectable gains nearly across all trading

sessions, with the exception of Thursday when the index fell by 1.11%. Activity

declined slightly week-on-week, while the amount of shares traded declined for

the third week in a row. Throughout the week 15 equities were active, as 11

gained, three closed in decline, while one equity traded unchanged.  

Total transactions for the week amounted to

492 deals with a turnover of just under Eur6.2m. In the equity market 362 deals were executed for a total value of  just under Eur1.3m while in the corporate bonds market 70 transactions,

down from 94 recorded last week were registered for a value of nearly Eur800,000.

On the other hand demand for safer government bonds increased, as 59

transactions in the government bond

market summing up to over Eur4m were executed across eleven securities. In

the treasury bills market, one transaction

was recorded, amounting to nearly Eur11,000.

Middlesea

Insurance plc headed the list of gainers having closed 17.65 per cent

up on the week. A total of 107,284 shares were traded during the week, with

Monday’s session taking the lion’s share, during which the insurance firm lost

ground. However, four positive trading sessions followed as gains ranged from

3.37 per cent up to 6.94 per cent. In fact Middlesea closed the week at Eur0.86,

hence edging 6.97 per cent higher year-to-date.

Similarly, HSBC Bank Malta plc shares soared 9.59 per cent as yesterday the

equity closed at Eur4. Just under 94,000 shares changed hands over 69 shares as

the equity closed almost all sessions on a positive note. The equity traded at

a weekly low of Eur3.65 and a weekly high of Eur4.05 recorded on Wednesday.

Year to date the equity is up 23.84 per cent.

Bank of

Valletta plc (BOV) also closed up as gains amounted to 5.94

per cent having reached Eur3.549 as 133 deals of 140,761 shares were executed.

BOV registered hefty gains in the first three sessions, while the equity

plunged in the closing two sessions. However, the Bank’s year-to-date

performance stands at a positive 14.63 per cent, having traded at a high of Eur3.761

and a low of Eur3.35.

Meanwhile, FIMBank plc and Lombard Bank

plc failed to follow their larger peers as the banks closed at 0.87 per

cent and 0.61 per cent in the red. On the contrary, three deals of 1,980 shares

in Global Capital plc pushed up the

equity’s price by over than 13 per cent or Eur0.20 as the equity closed the

week at Eur1.70.

Likewise, strong gains were recorded by Malta International Airport plc during

three sessions, while on Thursday the equity unleashed some of its previous

gains. A total of 10,832 shares were negotiated over 16 deals as the equity

closed at Eur2.90, edging 9.43 per cent higher on the week, having risen by

5.45% on 2,900 shares yesterday.

Maltapost

plc also

recorded a decent gain having closed the week 8.11 per cent up to reach Eur0.80,

as liquidity increased by almost 16,000 shares to 47,455 shares over 22

transactions. On Thursday the company announced that the Annual General Meeting

will be held on February 24, 2010, in which the directors will recommend to the

shareholders the approval of the payment of a final net dividend of Eur0.04.

The company reported an increase in Profit before tax of 10% from Eur2.9m to Eur3.19m

for the year ended September 30, 2009.

Meanwhile, GO plc gained further ground as the equity closed at Eur2.285, 1.11

per cent or Eur0.025 higher on the week, while Plaza Centres plc reached Eur1.69 as yesterday the equity gained

2.42 per cent, having closed the previous two sessions unchanged.

Crimsonwing

plc was

active during two sessions as the equity closed both sessions in positive

territory, having gained 7 per cent on the week to reach Eur0.428. One single

deal in Datatrak Holdings plc

elevated the price by 3.23 per cent to end the week at Eur0.16, while RS2 Software plc declined by 4.85 per

cent on a single deal of 2,000 shares, to close at Eur0.53. Island Hotels Group Holdings plc traded

unchanged at Eur1.01 over one deal, while on the week International Hotel Investments plc gained 3.63 per cent to close

at Eur0.80.    

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].