Four equities close at record high

MSE Trading Report for week ending July 17, 2015

The MSE Index added a further 0.65 per cent to its ongoing upward streak, to close at 4,155.626 points. Activity was spread across 17 equities of which eight gained ground, five declined and four closed unchanged as turnover reached €1.9m.

Simonds Farsons Cisk plc shares registered the highest gain for the week, having rallied by €0.30 or 6.5 per cent albeit on a sole transaction of a mere 101 shares, closing at an all-time high of €4.95. Malta International Airport plc followed suit as its share price jumped by €0.10 or 2.9 per cent to close at a record high of €3.55 as 71,040 shares changed hands.

RS2 Software plc shares registered an increase for the fifth consecutive week, having advanced by 1.6 per cent, to close at an all-time high of €2.25 – 32 trades of 131,918 shares were struck. In the same sector, 6PM Holdings plc shares traded flat at £0.76 as three deals of 4,246 shares were executed.

Meanwhile, Bank of Valletta plc shares oscillated between a weekly high of €2.32 and a low of €2.27, to ultimately close the week 0.8 per cent lower at €2.281. The banking equity witnessed 66 transactions of 180,990 shares. In its Interim Directors’ Statement, the company reported that during the financial period commencing on April 1, 2015 up to July 13, 2015, no material events or transactions that would have an impact on the financial position of the Bank or the Group took place. Financial performance to date is in line with expectations. Demand for credit was mainly driven by strong growth in home loans, boosted by Government measures aimed to enhance the ability of first time buyers to acquire property. Customer deposits continued to grow across all segments. The Group registered a satisfactory increase in commission income across key business lines. Meanwhile, costs incurred exceeded those of the comparative period last year, in line with expectations, due to the higher regulatory costs applicable from this year. 

HSBC Bank Malta plc shares more than erased last week’s 0.1 per cent loss, having advanced by 2.9 per cent or €0.052 across 42 transactions of 119,465 shares, closing at €1.85. Following last week’s 2.1 per cent decline, Lombard Bank Malta plc shares recovered by a slight 0.1 per cent as 5,250 shares changed hands at €1.821.

The trade finance bank, FIMBank plc registered a 3.2 per cent drop in its share price as four deals of 15,823 shares were struck, closing at $0.451. Likewise, Mapfre Middlesea plc shares extended its recent decline by a further four per cent over nine deals of 11,076 shares, closing €0.07 lower at €1.67.

The share price of the telecommunications provider GO plc, registered a 1.7 per cent gain – its ninth weekly gain and thus presently up 41.2 per cent year-to-date. The equity was negotiated across the highest turnover for the week of 51 trades worth €481k, to close at a fresh nine-year high of €3.60.

MaltaPost plcshares witnessed two positive trading sessions on Tuesday and Friday resulting in a 0.7 per cent increase. The local postal service operator was negotiated over two transactions of 5,409 shares, closing at €1.51.

MIDI plc shares erased the previous week’s gains, closing at the €0.34 price level, registering a2.9 per cent decline over three trades of 31,600 shares. The other negative performer for the week was International Hotel Investments plc having registered a decline for the third consecutive week, closing 0.6 per cent lower at €0.85.

Tigne Mall plc shares edged 1.2 per cent higher as two trades of 27,000 shares were negotiated, to re-touch their all-time high of €0.86.On Monday, Plaza Centres plc shares traded unchanged at €0.96 over two trades of 3,000 shares.  

On a similar note, Medserv plc shares traded unchanged at €2.355 over eight transactions of 21,000 shares. The other non-movers for the week were Malita Investments plc shares having closed unchanged at €0.90 as eight trades of 135,000 shares were executed.

In the corporate bond market turnover amounted to €1.6m. A total of 31 issues were active of which 15 rose in value, 10 fell and six closed unchanged. The 5.75% Central Business Centres plc Unsecured € 2021 S1T1 headed the list of gainers having increased by 2.4 per cent, to close at €107.50.

In the sovereign debt market activity was spread over 21 issues of which five decreased marginally, 15 gained ground and the 4.5% MGS 2028 (I) closed unchanged. Turnover totalled €5.5m. The 4.3% MGS 2022 (I) was the most liquid issue having witnessed a turnover of €1.8m, closing 0.5 per cent higher at €119.41. Meanwhile, the 2.3% MGS 2029 (II) was the best performer having increased by 1.5 per cent, to close at €103.50.