The share index retreated by 0.24% to an over five-week low of 4,494.702 points today as the declines in the share prices of HSBC (-1.6%), BOV (-0.4%) and RS2 (-0.3%) outweighed the gains in MaltaPost (+3.9%), Medserv (+3.4%) and Santumas (+0.1%).

Meanwhile, MIA and Malita Investments closed the day unchanged.

The most actively traded equity was Bank of Valletta which slipped back to the €2.25 level (-0.4%) on volumes totalling 66,209 shares – representing just over half of the total value of equities traded today. The bank is due to hold its annual general meeting on December 16.

Also in the retail banking segment, HSBC lost 1.6% to a two-week low of €1.80 across 19,131 shares.

The other negative performing equity today was RS2 Software as it eased by 0.3% to €1.59,5 after touching an intra-day high of €1.60. A total of 7,664 shares traded today.

Last Friday, RS2 issued an interim directors’ statement reiterating that it has a strong business pipeline both in its licencing and processing lines of business. RS2 also indicated that during 2016 the Group’s revenue remained stable and comparable to 2015.

However, the adverse impact of foreign currency fluctuations and the expense incurred in relation to the group’s international expansion have affected the group’s profitability.

Malta International Airport maintained the €4.08 level across 10,000 shares. Recently, MIA issued an interim directors’ statement in which it revealed that its net profit for the first nine months of the year edged 10% higher to €17.07 million when compared to the same period last year.

Two deals totalling 21,400 shares left the equity of Malita Investments at its 2016 low of 85c. Last Friday, Malita announced that its directors are expecting the company’s financial results for the year to be within those projected for the period.

Medserv extended yesterday’s strong rebound of 8.9% by a further 3.4% to a fresh three-month high of €1.67,8 across reduced volumes totalling 10,400 shares.

Following the publication of a detailed interim directors’ statement last Monday, today the  company announced that it has been re-awarded a contract by ENI North Africa (ENI NA) to provide logistics base and associated services for its exploration activities taking place offshore and onshore Libya.

The contract duration is for a period of one year, starting 1 January 2017, with the possibility of extending for another year. Medserv will be carrying out these services to ENI NA from its Malta base.

The interim directors’ statement explained that despite the tough trading conditions, Medserv is still expecting its revenues for 2016 to be close to the revised forecasted amount of €38 million.

MaltaPost jumped 3.9% to recapture the €1.88 level albeit on weak volumes totalling 3,000 shares. The board of directors of MaltaPost is scheduled to meet on 6 December to consider and approve the Company’s Financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2016.

A single deal of just 3,802 shares pushed the share price of Santumas Shareholdings plc up by 0.1% to the €2.40,2 level. The equity will start trading ex-share split as from tomorrow.

This morning, FIMBank announced that it has now acquired the entire shareholding of Egypt Factors – a company which specialises in the provision of factoring and forfaiting services to Egyptian companies. The acquisition forms part of the investment strategy adopted by FIMBank Group. The equity remained inactive today.

On the bond market, the Rizzo Farrugia MGS Index halted a two-day positive streak as it retreated by a minimal 0.02% to 1,146.856 points. Euro zone sovereign yields broadly moved lower this morning (bond prices went up), with the benchmark 10-year German Bund touching a fresh near two-week low of 0.208% from 0.242% yesterday.

However, this was short-lived as yields quickly rebounded. Indeed, the 10-year Bund climbed back to the 0.28% level possibly as a reaction to upbeat fresh economic data showing that business activity in the single currency area expanded the most in nearly a year in November on strong manufacturing and buoyant services growth in Germany.

www.rizzofarrugia.com

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