Following the 2.7% increase in the MSE Share Index during January, the equity market advanced by a further 0.3% today to close at a new 9-month high of 3,430.493 points. This morning’s increase came about as seven of the active equities gained including the three largest equities by market capitalisation.
Bank of Valletta plc closed higher for the fifth time in the last six sessions on continued demand for the Bank’s equity. The share price edged 0.5% higher to regain the €2.10 level across 31 deals totalling 48,427 shares.
Similarly, the share price of HSBC Bank Malta plc advanced by 1.5% to recapture the €2.03 level on volumes of 11,455 shares. The Bank is scheduled to publish its 2014 full-year results on 23 February.
Amongst the large cap equities, International Hotel Investments plc also trended upwards with a 1.6% uplift to regain the €0.63 level across 26,000 shares.
A further three equities continued to reach new highs. Malita Investments plc moved 2.7% higher to yet another new record of €0.68 on volumes of 6,000 shares with further demand already placed at the €0.70 level. Likewise, Tigné Mall plc climbed by 2.3% to a fresh all-time high of €0.665 on a single trade of 5,000 shares. A new all-time high was also registered by MaltaPost plc as the equity edged 1.5% higher to reach the €1.33 level on low volumes of 5,634 shares.
The only other positive performing equity was Middlesea Insurance plc which failed to hold on to an intra-day high of €1.00 but still ended this morning’s session 0.4% higher at the €0.994 level on volumes of almost 30,000 shares.
On the other hand, the share price of FIMBank plc dropped by a further 9.1% to a new all-time low of USD0.50 on volumes of just over 10,000 shares.
Similarly, RS2 Software plc shares closed in negative territory today with a 0.3% dip in its share price back to the €2.97 level across 25,000 shares.
Meanwhile, the share price of GO plc was unchanged at the €2.60 level after a somewhat volatile session during which the equity recovered from an intra-day low of €2.58 to reach an intra-day high of €2.62. A total of 40,357 shares changed hands across 11 deals.
Similarly, Malta International Airport plc ended this morning’s session unchanged at its all-time high of €2.50 on low volumes of 1,500 shares. The airport operator is scheduled to publish its full-year results on 24 February.
No changes was registered in the share price of Lombard Bank Malta plc as a further 16,200 shares changed hands at the €1.92 level.
On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index edged a further 0.2% higher to yet another all-time high of 1,129.139 points as eurozone benchmark yields tested a new all-time low of 0.297% in view of comments made by a number of Board members of the European Central Bank. In these comments, the members clearly stated that the ECB is willing to extend the recently announced €60 billion a month asset purchase programme if inflation does not move close to the 2% level by the end of the programme in September 2016.
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