Following last week’s recovery, the MSE index was back in the red, this time by a staggering 1.181 per cent.
The index at the end of the week’s final trading session read 4,644.316 points. Heightened volatility was again experienced in the equity market as, out of a total of 17 equities, five headed north, 11 declined and one closed unchanged.
Gains and losses ranged from a positive 5.9 per cent to a negative 5.4 per cent. Total turnover amounted to €3.56 million.
Malta Properties Company plc shares headed the list of gainers, as seven transactions of a combined value of €5,379, pushed the price up by 5.9 per cent. The price at the end of yesterday’s session read €0.54.
Closing in positive territory was once again the equity of PG plc.
The equity ticked 5.22 per cent higher, to close at €1.31. It also took the lion’s share of total trading in the equity market, as 1,468,249 shares were exchanged in 104 separate deals.
Banking industry equities all closed in the red.
Lombard Bank Malta plc shares registered the biggest decline, that of 5.4 per cent, over mere trading volume.
The closing price of €2.30 meant a fresh eight-week low.
On the other hand, the equities of HSBC Bank Malta plc and FIMBank plc experienced identical fortunes, as both lost 2.4 per cent, to close at €2 and $0.78.
Total trading in HSBC shares exceeded €136,000 while that in FIMBank amounted to $14,200.
Bank of Valletta plc shares closed in negative territory as the price depreciated by 1.6 per cent, to close at €2.205.
During the week in which it fell ex-dividend, the equity featured in 63 trades, worth €639,700.
In total, 11 trades in the equity of GO plc resulted in a moderate decline in the price per share of 0.5 per cent. The price at the end of the week read €3.48 while turnover was just below the €90,000 mark.
Despite not registering any trades during the week, MaltaPost plc was in the news as its Board of Directors approved the Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements for the six month period ended March 31, 2017.
The company registered a profit before tax of €1.82m, compared to €1.66m in the reporting for the same period last year.
Revenue for the period under review amounted to €17.65m, an increase of 25.9 per cent, when compared to the same period in 2016.
On Tuesday, Malta International Airport plc announced that during April, passenger movements registered an increase of 26.6 per cent, surpassing the half million mark for the first time that month.
Last Wednesday, the AGM was held wherein all the resolutions were approved, including a final gross dividend of €0.1538463 per share (net €0.10), which represents a gross payment of €20,815,385.
In light of this, the Company still failed to close in the black as the equity declined to the lowest level in five weeks, that of €4.09, to then climb back and close at €4.095, despite having traded at €4.14. Total turnover in this equity amounted to €200,900.
On the contrary, the equities of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc and RS2 Software plc registered gains.
The former reached a fresh all time high of €7.53, following seven trades of 11,886 shares – a week on week increase of 1.2 per cent, while the latter headed 1.9 per cent north, to close at €1.60 – the highest price in two weeks.
Mapfre Middlesea plc closed at a price per share of €2.01, falling 2.9 per cent – the lowest since October.
Similarly, International Hotel Investments plc shares registered a steep decline of 3.1 per cent in price, to close at €0.62.
This equity featured in four separate deals which saw 24,500 shares exchanging hands.
In the property sector, Plaza Centres plc, MIDI plc, Malita Investments plc and Tigne Mall plc experienced contrasting fortunes.
Plaza Centres plc shares and MIDI plc shares mirrored each other as the former closed 1.9 per cent lower at €1.04 while the latter gained two per cent to close at €0.31.
Malita registered a price per share which was last seen in August 2015, following a decline of 2.7 per cent.
On the contrary, albeit registering a total turnover of €104,000, Tigne Mall plc shares closed unchanged at €1.
Medserv plc shares pursued the last week’s trend, as they registered a decline in value of 3.5 per cent, to close at €1.35.
On the sovereign debt front, a total of 24 issues were active during the week, with the absolute majority (20) losing ground and four heading north.
The largest declines were recorded in the bonds holding a maturity greater than 11 years – ranging from 0.14 per cent to 0.85 per cent, with the exception of the 5.2% MGS 2031, the 3% MGS 2040 and the 2.4% MGS 2041, which closed higher at €143.10, €111.60 and €100.40 respectively.
On the contrary, in the corporate debt market more than half the issues of the 41 active bonds closed relatively higher, with
12 losing ground and six remaining unchanged.
The newly issued 4% Eden Finance plc Unsecured € 2027 registered the week’s strongest performance, as the bond closed 2.1 per cent higher at €102.10 while the 4.35% SD Finance plc Unsecured € 2027 was the most liquid, as 44 trades generated a total turnover of €463,785.