Market Analysis
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Record interim performance by Farsons Group
The July 2012 interim financial statements that were published by Simonds Farsons Cisk plc on September 26 reveal a record performance with revenue rising by 9.7 per cent to €39.6 million and profit after tax up 45 per cent to €3.8 million. The...
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European shares slide as merger fails
European stock markets fell yesterday after a proposed mega merger beween EADS and BAE fell through and amid continued worries about the global growth outlook. At the close, London’s FTSE 100 index of top companies ended the day down by 0.58 per...
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Shipping movements
The following vessels are expected in Malta: The Marina from Durres to Taranto (Carmelo Caruana Co Ltd), and the Maersk Essex from Genoa to Port Said (Thomas Smith Shipping) today. The Mont Ventoux from Tripoli to Tripoli and the King Basil from...
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Iceland’s 2008 banking crisis
During one week in early October 2008, Iceland’s banking system went into meltdown, threatening to suck the entire nation down with it. Global banks were reeling from post-Lehman aftershocks and towards the end of September, Iceland’s three largest...
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Euro retreats as concerns over Greece, Spain weigh
The rally in risk assets faded at the start of the week as concern over the global economic outlook resurfaced and expectations for sour Q3 corporate earnings weighed on sentiment. At the end of last week, risk appetite was buoyed by ECB President...
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Q3: International equity markets rally strongly
It may be surprising to many investors that despite the challenging global economic conditions, international equity markets rallied strongly during the summer months. Investors seem to have shrugged off the news of the potential double dip...
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European stocks are mixed amid Spanish bailout fears
European stock markets wavered yesterday, with traders on edge amid heated speculation over a bailout for Spain and ahead of a policy meeting at the ECB. At close, London’s FTSE 100 index of top companies was 0.28 per cent higher at 5,825.81 points,...
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Shipping movements
The following vessels are expected in Malta: The Jork Valiant from Sfax to El Khoms (Carmelo Caruana Co Ltd) today. The Mediterranean Sea from Antalya to Beirut, the Marguerite from Gioia Tauro to Annaba, the Oued Ziz from Misurata to Misurata, the...
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Next stop – all change?
Six months is a long time in markets. Since I last wrote about the levels of income obtainable in the bond market, options have become even fewer and more challenging as prices of bonds have risen, in some cases substantially. Yields have contracted...
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ECB, BoE policy rate decisions today
Looking at this week’s economic docket, there is quite an interesting end of week, when it comes to data and events. Today we are expecting policy rate decisions from the ECB and the BoE; tomorrow it will be the BoJ’s turn. While we are not...
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Continued growth in revenue, profits at PAVI
The April 2012 full-year financial statements published by PAVI Shopping Complex on August 31 show a continuing improvement in the company’s financial performance. Unfortunately, companies which had tapped the bond market rather than the equity...
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European markets tumble on growing Spanish bailout fears
European stock markets and the euro slumped yesterday on heightened fears over a full bailout of debt-plagued Spain, and amid falling confidence in the US Federal Reserve’s latest stimulus plan. Madrid’s IBEX 35 index tumbled 3.92 per cent at close...
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Shipping movements
The following vessels are expected in Malta: The CMA CGM Rabat from Tunis to Bejaia (Carmelo Caruana Co Ltd), and the Faust from Algeciras to Port Said and the Maersk Emdem from Genoa to Port Said (Thomas Smith Shipping) today. The Mont Ventoux from...
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Negative real returns
As we are about to enter the last quarter of 2012, portfolio managers will have their minds focused on keeping the returns achieved so far on a steady and safe path. Given the performance of the investment markets so far this year, outperforming the...
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Spain’s indecision erodes risk appetite
The last couple of weeks have been characterised by global Central Banks’ actions to take on new stimulus measures, mainly the European Central Bank’s new bond-buying plan called Outright Monetary Transactions, the Federal Reserve’s quantitative...
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‘Either cheap shares or good news, but not both’
Many international financial commentators commonly use this phrase to explain a widely held view that it would be very hard, if not impossible, to identify cheap shares when the newsflow on the company in question and the general economic...
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European stocks close up on Japan stimulus and US housing data
European stocks closed higher yesterday, lifted by US housing data and Japan’s extra economic stimulus following similar moves from the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index ended the day up 0.35 per...
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Shipping movements
The following vessels are expected in Malta: The Connorth from Marseille to Algiers, the CMA CGM Effingham from Genoa to Port Said, the Classica from Antalya to Antalya and the Fas Dammam from Algiers (all Carmelo Caruana) today. The Pollux from...
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As easy as the ECB
When European Central Bank president Mario Draghi took office, he stated that he had the utmost respect for the fine traditions of the Bundesbank. As his tenure has progressed, it has become apparent that he might also have a closet penchant for the...
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The Federal Reserve’s ‘QE infinity’
So in the end, yes, last week even the US Federal Reserve decided to grant its ‘happy hour’to the delight of those investors mostly geared into risky assets. Equities rallied, gold was at fresh six and a half month highs and even in the Forex...
