The MSE Share Index extended yesterday’s decline as it slipped by a further 0.14% to a four-day low of 4,721.576 points today on strong volumes totalling nearly €0.66 million – the highest level of daily trading activity day this year.
RS2 Software plc lost 1.7% to the €1.73 level after recovering from a near two-month low of €1.70. A total of 66,150 shares changed hands.
Also among the large companies, HSBC Bank Malta plc eased 0.2% to the €2.04 level across 43,522 shares. The Bank is scheduled to publish its full-year financial results next Tuesday 21 February.
FIMBank plc was the worst performing equity today with a decline of 4.5% to the USD0.85 level on volumes totalling 62,142 shares.
In the property segment, Malita Investments plc lost a further 1.1% to a fresh near two-year low of €0.801 across two deals totalling 12,000 shares whilst Malta Properties Company plc declined 3.4% to the €0.54 level albeit on trivial volumes.
In contrast, MIDI plc maintained the €0.33 level across heightened activity totalling 369,400 shares.
GO plc held on to its near nine-month high of €3.46 after touching an intra-day low of €3.40. A total of 11,000 shares traded.
A single deal of 20,000 shares left the equity of Lombard Bank Malta plc unchanged at the €2.24 level whilst Simonds Farsons Cisk plc maintained its all-time high of €7.30 across 3,590 shares
Meanwhile, Malta International Airport plc jumped 2.0% to a near four-month high of €4.15 across 7,060 shares. The Company is due to reveal its 2016 full-year financial results on 22 February.
International Hotel Investments plc recaptured the €0.65 level (+1.4%) on volumes totalling 60,789 shares whilst Bank of Valletta plc edged 0.2% higher to the €2.185 level across 25,429 shares.
Medserv plc advanced by a minimal 0.1% to regain the €1.60 level on a single deal of 25,000 shares.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index erased yesterday’s decline as it rebounded by 0.38% to 1,123.097 points as yields came under renewed downward pressure following fresh data showing that fourth quarter GDP in the euro zone grew by 0.4% from the prior quarter, below estimates of a growth of +0.5%. Meanwhile, year-on-year GDP advanced by 1.7%, also below forecasts of a rise of 1.8%. In addition, other statistics showed that industrial production in the single currency area contracted by 1.6% in December 2016 from the previous month but year-on-year, it registered a better-than-expected growth of +2.0%. Meanwhile, in Germany, a survey gauging economic sentiment dropped more than expected to a four-month low.
Subscriptions from the General Public for the three new Malta Government Stock issues close tomorrow.
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