The Malta Stock Exchange index erased last week’s marginal 0.07 per cent gain as it fell by 0.17 per cent, to close at 3,414.497 points.
Total turnover amounted to €1.3 million spread across 18 equities, of which eight gained ground, five declined and five closed unchanged.
Malita Investments plc shares were the best performers having rallied by €0.058 or 8.8 per cent as seven deals of 31,000 shares were struck, to close at an all-time high of €0.72. L
Tigne Mall plc shares soared by 2.3 per cent on a sole transaction of 5,000 shares dealt at €0.665.
MaltaPost plc shares registered its fourth consecutive weekly gain as 14,200 shares changed hands across five deals, to close at yet another record high of €1.33, marking a 1.53 per cent gain.
Simonds Farsons Cisk plc shares traded flat at its all-time high of €3.09 over two transactions of 7,999 shares.
HSBC Bank Malta plc shares swayed between a weekly high of €2.05 and a low of €2, to ultimately close at €2.02. The banking equity was the only positive performer in its sector having edged one per cent higher as 29 deals of 51,837 shares were negotiated.
Bank of Valletta plc was the most active equity for the week as they witnessed 81 trades worth €336,000, closing 0.5 per cent lower at €2.08. In its interim directors statement for the period October 1, 2014 to February 6, 2015, the bank reported that financial performance is in line with expectations. Weak demand for business lending was offset by the high demand for home loans. Deposits grew despite the lower rates, resulting in higher liquidity. Commissions earned on the sale of financial products grew at a satisfactory rate. Meanwhile, costs were higher than the comparative period last year due to higher regulatory costs applicable under the Deposit Compensation Scheme.
FIMBank plc shares added on to last week’s negative performance by a further decline of 9.1 per cent on four deals of 19,693 shares, to close at $0.50.
Lombard Bank Malta plc shares closed the week unchanged at €1.92 as four trades of 23,322 shares were negotiated.
Malta International Airport plc was active on 13 trades of 12,200 shares and closed the week unchanged at €2.50, despite having reached a weekly high of €2.54. MIA reported that the airport hosted 208,903 passengers last month – a 4.8 per cent increase over January 2014. This was achieved with fewer aircraft movements and only a marginal increase in seat capacity of one per cent, due to a significant increase in seat load factor. Growth was registered in UK, Italy and France with increases of 1.5 per cent, 13.2 per cent and 15.8 per cent respectively. The German market declined by 5.6 per cent due to decreased capacity, while traffic to and from Turkey marked the highest growth rate of 89.5 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Crimsonwing plc shares edged 1.3 per cent higher as four deals of 15,643 shares were struck on Tuesday, to close at €0.855. The company announced that, in connection with the offer received from KPMG Investments Malta Limited for a voluntary public takeover bid, all trading in Crimsonwing shares has been suspended with effect from close of trading last Tuesday. The offeror has commenced the proceess provided for the right to require all the holders of the remaining shares in Crimsonwing to sell their shares to the offeror at an offer price of €0.8327 per share. The managers, registrars and collecting paying agents of the offeror’s bid have been instructed to complete the transfer of all remaining shares which the offeror is not currently precluded from acquiring and to process the applicable payments by no later than yesterday.
Both RS2 Software plc and Loqus Holdings plc shares fell by 0.7 per cent. The former equity witnessed six deals of 30,763 shares, to close at €2.96, while four trades of 14,204 Loqus Holdings plc shares were negotiated to close at €0.14.
Island Hotels Group Holdings plc shares edged 0.9 per cent higher during Thursday’s session as 2,000 shares changed hands, to close at €1.029 while International Hotel Investments plc shares closed unchanged at €0.62 across six deals of 39,101 shares. The other non-movers for the week were, Grand Harbour Marina plc shares having traded unchanged at €1.75 on a volume of 3,000 shares.
Go plc shares registered a 0.6 per cent gain across 34 transactions of 121,225 shares, closing just shy of its weekly high of €2.62, at €2.615.
Middlesea Insurance plc shares edged 0.4 per cent higher over 13 trades of 38,918 shares at €0.994.
Medserv plc shares declined by €0.05 or 3.4 per cent across five transactions of 158,500 shares, to close at €1.42.
In the corporate bond market, 31 issues were active of which eight declined, 13 advanced and ten closed unchanged as turnover reached €1.06 million. The 5.3% Mariner Finance plc Unsecured € 2024 was the most active issue as it witnessed a turnover value of €150,672. The 7.15% Mediterranean Investments Holding plc USD 2015-2017 headed the list of fallers with an 8.1 per cent drop, to close at $80, while the 5.35% BOV Sub € 2019 was the best performer as it rallied by 6.5 per cent, closing at €114.
In the sovereign debt market, turnover amounted to €31.4 million spread across 27 issues of which six marginally declined and 21 gained ground. The 4.1% MGS 2034 (I) r issue was the best performer as it appreciated by 0.5 per cent, closing at €119.85. The 4.8% MGS 2028 (I) was the most liquid issue as it witnessed a turnover of €9 million and closed at €132.59.
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. For further information contact Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited at 67, Level 3, South Street, Valletta, or on Tel: 2122 4410, or e-mail info@jesmondmizzi.com.