MSE

Trading Report for week ending December 17, 2010

HSBC

shares on a 5.8 per cent rally

The Malta Stock Exchange Index registered its second consecutive

positive week, closing yesterday’s session at 3,557.173 points in a four day trading week, resulting in a rise of just

below 1.5 per cent on the week. The positive sentiment that reigned last week again

prevailed having registered an all-positive week. Turnover in the equity market increased to 476,400 shares during the week over 179 deals, compared to

last week’s 304,747 shares on 155 deals, with FIMBank plc shares registering the

highest traded volume. A total 12 equities were traded, as Malta International

Airport plc remained flat, five closing higher and six losing in value.

In the Corporate Bonds market turnover declined to a value of Eur492,879

being traded over 73 trades. However, in the Government Stock market, turnover increased to Eur1.85m across 42

deals, with approximately 58 per cent traded in the 5% MGS 2021 (I) issue. Meanwhile, no trades were registered in the Treasury Bill market.

HSBC

Bank Malta plc (HSBC) shares continued from last week’s rise, and registered a 5.8 per cent

hike in its share price, closing at Eur3.10. This increase has reduced the year to date loss to slightly over

4%. Trading rose significantly in

this equity, reaching 98,608 shares across 49 trades.  

Positive sentiment continued in Bank of Valletta plc shares, as the equity gained a further 1.06

per cent yesterday, to close at Eur3.81, having closed unchanged at Eur3.77 in

the previous sessions. A total of 80 deals of 82,313 shares were executed as

turnover fell slightly from the past weeks.

Similarly, FIMBank plc also registered a 1.06 per cent rise in its share

price. The equity’s share price

closed yesterday’s session at $0.95, a rise of $0.01 on the week, as shares

traded amounted to 184,000 across nine deals.

Lombard

Bank plc was the only banking equity to suffer losses,

as it declined by 0.35 per cent yesterday, to close the week at Eur2.561, with

14,500 shares changing hands over seven trades.

Malta

International Airport plc shares closed flat at Eur1.65 on two

trading session, as 35,919 shares were dealt across 11 transactions. In

contrast, the share price of International

Hotel Investments plc lost 1.33 per cent to end the week at Eur0.74 as

deals of 20,000 shares were executed on two trades. Similarly Island Hotels Group Holdings plc shares

closed the week in the red following a steep loss of 15.7 per cent, mainly

arising in a fall of 11% during yesterday’s session. The equity closed at Eur0.80

level as 3,000 shares changed hands over two deals.

A loss of 1.04 per cent on Tuesday

lowered GO plc’s share price to Eur1.90,

having traded at the same level in the following two sessions, with turnover

amounted to 6,100 shares across five deals.

Middlesea

Insurance plc returned to trading this week, however with

negative consequences. In fact, a decline of just shy of 2.4 per cent edged the

share price downwards to Eur1.02, having lost 4.31 per cent on Thursday and

then recouping part of the loss in the following session. A total of four

trades were registered, consisting of 14,527 shares. Meanwhile, Simonds Farsons Cisk plc gained almost

1.2 per cent this week, with shares traded totalling 12,133 over six deals, to

close the week at Eur1.72.

In the IT Sector, Loqus Holdings plc posted a whopping 11.11 per cent or a mere Eur0.02

gain as one trade of 300 shares was executed, thus closing at Eur0.20.

Conversely, the share price of RS2

Software plc lost four per cent to end the week at Eur0.48. A total of

5,000 shares were dealt across three trades.

On Wednesday, MaltaPost plc

announced that the Board of Directors will be meeting on Wednesday, January

5, 2011, to consider and approve the Company’s Financial Statements

for the year ended September 30, 2010.

We wish all readers of this column a

Happy Christmas.

This article which was compiled by Atlas

JMFS Investment Services Limited, does not intend to give investment advice and

the contents therein should not be construed as such. Atlas JMFS is licensed to

conduct investment services by the MFSA and is a Member Firm of the Malta Stock

Exchange. 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 Atlas JMFS at 67, Level 3, South Street,

Valletta, or on Tel: 21224410, or email [email protected]