Movement in Equity and Bond Indices:

The MSE Equity Total Return Index lost 1.3% and closed at 8,215.601 points. Nineteen equities were active, as 13 lost ground while five gained. A total turnover of €1.4m was registered as a result of 166 deals. The two major banks moved in opposite directions, while various property equities finished the week in the red.

The MSE Corporate Bonds Total Return Index closed the week 0.3% higher at 1,166.999 points. Out of 56 active bonds, 24 recorded an increase, whereas 20 declined. The 3.75% AX Group plc Unsecured Bonds 2029 Series II topped the list of gainers with a gain of 4.7%, ending the week at €99.74. On the other hand, the 3.25% AX Group plc Unsecured Bonds 2026 Series I suffered the biggest drop, as it declined by 3.3%, to close at €96.01.

The MSE MGS Total Return Index retracted by 0.1%, to end the week at 914.926 points. A total of 12 bonds were active, as four advanced while seven declined. The best performing government bond was the 2.4% MGS 2041 which experienced an increase of 3.2%, to end the week at €88.5. On the contrary, the 4.1% MGS 2034 suffered a decline of 4.3% to end the week at €104.

 

Market Highlights:

A sole transaction involving just 500 International Hotel Investments plc shares pushed the share price 6.1% lower. The equity ended the week at €0.54.

Bank of Valletta plc (BOV) witnessed a positive 1.5% movement in its share price, closing higher at €1.36. The equity traded at a weekly high of €1.37 and a low of €1.29, as a result of 42 deals of 228,071 shares. BOV shares generated a total turnover of €302,611.

In the same sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc experienced a 3.9% decrease in its share price, ending the week at a weekly low of €1.25. A total of 23,525 shares exchanged ownership across seven trades, generating €29,777 in turnover.

Similarly, the share price of Lombard Bank Malta plc fell 5.6%, closing at €0.85. This was a result of three deals worth €4,136 and involving 4,866 shares.

APS Bank plc saw its share price register a gain of 5.6%, across 11 deals of 107,829 shares. The equity ended the week at €0.57.

In the communication services sector, GO plc posted a positive 4.6% change in its share price, to close at €3.20. A total of 50 trades generated a weekly turnover of €373,054.

In the real estate sector, VBL plc declined by 21.7% to close at €0.18. This was the result of a sole deal involving 10,000 shares worth €1,800.

MIDI plc registered a double-digit decline of 14.2%. The equity settled at €0.266, as a single deal of 30,000 shares was executed.

Hili Properties plc saw a modest 0.9% increase in its share price, closing at a weekly high of €0.216.

The share price of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc advanced by 0.7% ending the week at €7. Five trades of 951 shares were executed, generating €6,622 in turnover.

 

Company Announcements

Malta International Airport plc (MIA) announced the full-year traffic results, where passenger traffic increased by 6.7% over 2019, amounting to a record 7.8m passengers for 2023. This represents a growth of almost 0.5m passenger movements, which is comparable to the throughput of an average winter month for the airport. In parallel, the airport also outperformed pre-pandemic levels in terms of seat load factor, as each month of the year registered varying degrees of growth over 2019, peaking in August at an all-time high of 91.4%.

In terms of monthly performance, a total of 529,041 passengers travelled through MIA in December, translating into a double-digit growth of 10.8% over 2019. This result is significant in light of the fact that passenger movements surpassed the 0.5m mark in December for the first time in the airport’s history.

The board of GO plc has approved the payment of a net interim dividend of €0.15 per share. The payment of this net dividend amounts to the total sum of €15.2m and represents part of the proceeds received from the transaction with BMIT. The interim dividend will be paid on February 1, 2024 to all shareholders who appear on the shareholders’ register of January 18, 2024.

The board of AX Real Estates plc resolved to distribute a gross interim dividend of approximately €4m, equivalent to €0.0148 gross per ordinary share.

Camilleri Finance plc held a bondholders’ meeting yesterday for the holders of the 4.75% Orion Finance plc Unsecured Bonds 2027, whereby the holders approved the early redemption of this bond. The board of Camilleri Finance plc has also announced the issuance of a €15m 6.25% Unsecured Bond maturing in 2034 which will be issued at par and redeemable at its nominal value on February 23, 2034.

 

Upcoming Events:

 

 

Market Movers by Sector:

 

 

This article, which was compiled by Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited, does not intend to give investment advice and the contents therein should not be construed as such. The Company is licensed to conduct investment services by the MFSA and is a Member of the Malta Stock Exchange and a member of the Atlas Group. The directors or related parties, including the company, and their clients are likely to have an interest in securities mentioned in this article. Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited is acting as sponsoring brokers for the upcoming BNF Bank plc bond issue. For further information contact Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited at 67, Level 3, South Street, Valletta, or on Tel: 21224410, or email [email protected]