The share index advanced by 0.31 per cent to 4,487.932 points – the highest level for this month – as seven equites trended in positive territory, four closed unchanged whilst only two (BOV and MIA) finished lower.
Today’s trading volumes of €861,000 declined from yesterday’s exceptionally high level, but still remained elevated. Week-on-week, the index advanced by 0.42 per cent on robust trading volumes of €3.82 million.
Today’s top performer was FIMBank. The equity advanced 4.1 per cent to the 63c5US level across 23,467 shares. The trade finance specialist will reveal its 2015 financial results on March 15.
HSBC edged up by 0.8 per cent to the €1.61 level across 51,840 shares. The bank is scheduled to publish its 2015 financial statements on Monday.
GO advanced by 0.2 per cent to the €3.27 level across heightened activity totalling 45,850 shares. Shareholders as at the close of trading on April 7 will be entitled to a final net dividend of 10c per share, payable on May 13 subject to shareholders’ approval at the upcoming annual general meeting scheduled to be held on May 11. In the meantime, the company is evaluating a number of non-binding bids from parties interested in acquiring its entire issued share capital.
RS2 Software regained its all-time high of €3.40 (+0.9 per cent) across 18,700 shares.
MaltaPost and Malta Properties Company also traded higher. The postal operator gained one per cent to the €1.94 level on activity of 16,120 shares whilst the property company advanced to the 57c level (+0.9 per cent) on higher volumes of 89,500 shares.
A single deal of 1,428 shares lifted the equity of Simonds Farsons Cisk up by 0.8 per cent to the €6.30 level.
Low volumes were also registered in 6PM Holdings (76p), International Hotel Investments (72c) and Lombard Bank (€2.18,5). All three equities closed the day flat.
Malita Investments also closed the day unchanged at 94c on high volumes totalling 128,090 shares. This morning the company announced that its board of directors is scheduled to meet on March 1 to consider and approve the company’s financial statements for the year ended December 31. The board will also consider the declaration of a final dividend.
Meanwhile, the two other active equities of today’s trading session – Bank of Valletta and Malta International Airport – closed in negative territory. BOV lost 0.4 per cent to the €2.20,2 level after touching an intra-day high of €2.22,5.
Trading volumes amounted to 116,025 shares. This morning the bank announced the issuance of €50 million 3.5 per cent Tranche 2 subordinated bonds 2030 at par (100 per cent) forming part of its Debt Issuance Programme dated October 16, 2015. The final terms will be made available on Tuesday.
Malta International Airport failed to hold on to its all-time high of €4.74 and retreated by 0.4 per cent to the €4.72 level across 16,135 shares. The airport operator is scheduled to reveal its 2015 financial results next Wednesday.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index extended yesterday’s gains by a further 0.15 per cent to 1,137.574 as eurozone bond yields slid lower following the publication of the minutes of the Governing Council meeting of the European Central Bank held last month.
In fact, these showed that the ECB was likely to engage in more aggressive monetary easing in the near future (possibly in March), due to slower economic growth and falling inflation expectations.
Yesterday, the Treasury announced the fixed prices of the upcoming two new Malta Government Stocks. The 1.5 per cent MGS 2022 (IV), which has been priced at 105 per cent, gives a yield-to-maturity 0.696 per cent, while the 2.5 per cent MGS 2036 (I) has been priced at 101.5 per cent, giving a yield-to-maturity of 2.408 per cent. Subscriptions for the public will open on Monday and close on Wednesday (or earlier in the case of over subscription).
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