The Malta Stock Exchange index appreciated by a further 0.97 per cent, to close at 3,878.776 points.
Turnover amounted to €1.03 million and was spread across 17 equities of which 10 gained ground, four declined and three closed unchanged.
Mapfre Middlesea plc headed the list of gainers as its share price rallied by a staggering €0.179 or 14.7 per cent as nine deals of 16,381 shares were struck, to close at its weekly high of €1.40. Yesterday, the company reported that it has reached a preliminary agreement with Allcare Insurance Ltd for the transfer of the insurance portfolio of Allcare Insurance Limited to MMS. The preliminary agreement is subject to all regulatory approvals from the relevant authorities.
In the banking sector, Bank of Valletta plc shares partially recouped last week’s loss by 0.3 per cent, to close at €2.277. The equity was the most liquid, having witnessed 48 deals of 105,910 shares.
Similarly, FIMBank plc shares increased by a further 1.1 per cent over two trades of 11,451 shares, closing at $0.465.
HSBC Bank Malta plc shares stumbled by 2.2 per cent as 46 transactions of 97,413 shares were struck, closing €0.04 lower at €1.81.
Likewise, Lombard Bank Malta plc shares declined by one per cent over a sole trade of 6,000 shares, to close at €1.96.
RS2 Software plc shares registered an increase for the eight consecutive weeks, having soared by a further €0.08 or 2.4 per cent, to close at an all-time high of €3.38. The IT equity witnessed 10 trades of 20,231 shares.
Malita Investments plc shares appreciated by 10.3 per cent as 13 deals of 87,320 shares were struck, to close €0.09 higher at €0.96.
Also on the upside was International Hotel Investments plc which edged €0.03 or four per cent higher over 10 transactions of 32,900 shares, closing at €0.78.
Plaza Centres plc shares oscillated between a weekly high of €0.99 and a low of €0.95, to ultimately close three per cent higher at €0.98. The equity was negotiated across seven trades of 28,172 shares.
MIDI plc shares increased by 3.5 per cent over five transactions of 29,913 shares, closing at €0.30.
Meanwhile, Malta International Airport plc shares closed the week unchanged at €3.359 as 36,438 shares changed ownership.
The other non-movers for the week were MaltaPost plc and Tigne Mall plc shares, having closed unchanged at €1.50 and €0.80 respectively. The former witnessed three trades of 6,310 shares, while the latter was executed across seven deals of 35,834 shares.
Go plc shares extended their recent winning streak, having advanced by 1.1 per cent as 17 trades of 29,315 shares changed hands, closing at €3.059.
Similarly, Santumas Shareholdings plc added €0.05 to its share price, after two deals of 6,442 shares were concluded, to close at €2.05.
Conversely, Grand Harbour Marina plc shares edged 0.5 per cent lower across two trades of 2,709 shares, closing at €1.89.
Medserv plc shaved off €0.05 of its share price, to close 2.3 per lower at €2.15, having traded ex-dividend on Wednesday. The equity was active on 10 trades of 44,487 shares.
Simonds Farsons Cisk plc yesterday announced that the company has submitted two applications were to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority effectively commencing the approval process for the development of the Farsons Business Park.
The company further reported that over the past months, the board has firmed up its intent to review the internal structures within the group by hiving off a number of properties and eventually ‘spin-off’ part of the group’s property interests from the core business activities - the food and beverage business, into a separate and distinct property-focused public limited liability company. Furthermore it was reported that it is the intention of the board to issue a number of ordinary shares in the property company that would equate to the same number of ordinary shares in issue under Simonds Farsons Cisk plc. A dividend in specie would then be paid out to the current shareholders, and hence each shareholder would receive an equivalent number of shares in a newly listed company. This is likely to take place in the first half of 2017.
In the corporate bond market turnover amounted to €1.45 million spread across 31 issues of which 21 increased, two fell and eight closed unchanged. The 7.15% Mediterranean Investments Holding plc USD 2015-2017 headed the list of gainers having increased by 0.9 per cent, to close at $95.
In the sovereign debt market a total of 26 issues were active of which 14 issues fell minimally lower, while 12 edged higher. Turnover totalled €11.27m. The long-dated 3% MGS 2040 (I) r was the most liquid issue, having witnessed a turnover volume of 3.17m nominal, to close 0.5 per cent higher at €113.02. Meanwhile, the 4.3% MGS 2033 (I) registered the best performance, having increased by 0.8 per cent, to close at €132.76, while the 7.8% MGS 2018 headed the list of fallers having declined by 0.4 per cent, closing at €122.98.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Treasury announced the issuance of two new Malta Government Stocks (MGSs); 2% MGS 2020 (V) F.I. and 2.3% MGS 2029 (I). Applications shall open on June 11, 2015 and will be by auction only. The applications will close on June 12, 2015, or earlier at the discretion of the Accountant General.
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.