MSE Trading Report for week ending January 19, 2018

The MSE Equity Total Return Index extended its run of negative performances as it fell marginally by 0.15% to end the week at 8,618.331 points. A total of 17 issues were active during the week of which eight closed lower, while five posted gains. Total turnover during the week amounted to a substantial €2.8 million spread over 227 transactions.

In the banking industry, HSBC Bank Malta plc shares advanced by 1.7% over the week to close at €1.79. The equity was traded 17 times as €38,346 worth of shares were traded.

Bank of Valletta plc was traded heavily even by its own standards, as an impressive turnover of €2.3 million was generated over 111 transactions. This trading activity caused the share price to drop by 1.1 per cent to settle at €1.80, at which price the equity closed all sessions of the week.

In the same industry, Lombard Bank Malta plc was traded three times on slim volumes as just 1,453 shares changed hands, closing unchanged at €2.30.

On Monday, Malta International Airport plc announced that the Board of Directors is scheduled to meet on February 21, 2018 to consider and approve the Company’s Financial Statements for the financial year ended December 31, 2017. The Board shall also consider whether to declare and propose to the shareholders the payment of a dividend. The equity pushed ahead by 2.08 per cent during the week, as a total of 31,372 shares were exchanged over 23 deals. On Wednesday, the equity reached an all-time high of €5.00, before retracting back to a closing price of €4.90.

The only active equity in the insurance industry was Mapfre Middlesea plc which recorded a single deal on Friday involving 1,010 shares. The transaction was executed at a price of €1.82, translating to a 1.09 per cent decline in the value of the equity.

The property sector was very active this week as all four listed equities traded. Malita Investments plc and Malta Properties Company plc (MPC)registered similar performances as they both posted solid gains of 1.82 per cent and 1.84 per cent respectively. The former closed at €0.84 after four transactions generated a turnover of €20,858. With regards to MPC, five deals involving 25,714 shares pushed the price up to €0.442.

In the same sector, Plaza Centres plc moved in the opposite direction falling by a substantial 7.27 per cent closing at €1.02. A turnover of €18,930 was generated over three transactions.

MIDI plc was also active as a total of 16,000 shares changed hands over four deals. The equity however closed flat at €0.34.

Simonds Farsons Cisk plcwas down by 3.73 per cent to close at €7.75 – the lowest price level in over 6 months. The equity was traded 11 times as €59,105 worth of shares were exchanged.

PG plc posted losses of 0.71 per cent closing at €1.39 as 15,605 shares were traded over five deals.

Grand Harbour Marina plc was another negative performer as four transactions at the beginning of the week involving a combined 43,500 shares lowered the price by 0.39 per cent to close at €0.76.

Negative sentiment in RS2 Software plc persisted as it posted falls for the third week in a row having traded heavily. The share price fell by 2.01 per cent to settle at €1.46 after a substantial turnover of €127,413 was generated over 27 transactions.

A couple of trades worth a combined €1,308 in International Hotel Investments plc caused the equity to recover a portion of the losses registered last week as the price moved upwards by 0.81% to €0.62.

The price of Santumas Shareholdings plc was readjusted to €1.50 from €2.25 as a result of a bonus issue. When taking this into consideration, the equity traded flat closing at €1.50 as two trades of 10,000 shares were exchanged.

Likewise,Medserv plc closed unchanged at €1.16 despite registering four transactions of a combined 9,000 shares.

Loqus Holdings plc continued where it left off last week as a single transaction worth just €1,160 dragged the share price down by a considerable 26.67% to close at €0.11.

In the corporate debt market, a total of 43 issues were active during the week of which 18 headed north, while 15 closed lower. Chief among the list of gainers was the 5.75% International Hotel Investments plc Unsecured € 2025 which appreciated by 1.96%.

Yields in the sovereign debt market were up as from the 23 active issues, 16 experienced declines in price while only 7 increased in value. The most notable price change was a 1.61 per cent loss in the price of the 5.1% MGS 2029.