The MSE Equity Total Return Index continued to trade in negative territory as it posted further losses of 0.12 per cent, closing at 8,608.152 points. A total of 21 equities were active during the week of which gainers and fallers amounted to six each. Total turnover amounted to €2.14 million over 284 transactions.
Bank of Valletta recovered a portion of the losses registered last week as it bounced back by 0.56 per cent to close the week at €1.81. The equity was the most liquid as a total of 467,497 shares were exchanged over 97 transactions.
HSBC Bank Malta plc, on the other hand, was one of the major catalysts of the negative MSE index performance as it posted substantial losses of 1.68 per cent, closing at €1.76. The equity was traded nine times as 18,338 shares changed hands.
Also in the banking sector, a couple of trades in Fimbank plc dragged the price 1.45 per cent lower to $0.68 as 5,800 shares were traded.
The other banking equity, Lombard plc, closed unchanged as it recorded just one transaction of 9,442 shares at a price of €2.30.
Medserv plc hiked 6.9 per cent to close at €1.24 as 32,500 shares were traded over ten deals. This solid performance was backed by a positive announcement as Medserv plc said that it had won a tender for a three-year contract to provide the integrated logistics support services to the offshore operations being conducted by an oil company.
The initial value of the contract is estimated at over €10 million.
On Thursday, Malita Investments plc announced that a board meeting will be held on March 5 to consider and, if deemed appropriate, approve the company’s financial statements for 2017.
During the meeting, the board shall also consider the payment of a final dividend. The company also announced that the next Annual General Meeting will be held on April 27.
The equity traded three times this week as 16,050 shares changed hands, pushing the share price up by 0.6% to €0.845.
Mapfre Middlesea plc continued where it left off last week as it posted further losses of 1.65 per cent, settling at €1.79.
A total of 21,649 shares were exchanged over 7 deals.
Yesterday, the company announced that its board of directors is scheduled to meet on March 8 to consider and approve the company’s 2017 financial statements.
Malta International Airport plc shares had a volatile week having traded at a low of €4.70 and a high of €4.90 at which it settles. The equity traded 16 times on a volume of 11,625 shares.
MaltaPost plc drifted 2.45 per cent lower to ending the week at €1.99 after 4,112 shares were exchanged over four deals.
2018 is proving to be a difficult year for RS2 Software plc as it was dominated by selling pressure for the fourth week in a row.
The equity was traded heavily as a considerable turnover of 366,417 shares was generated over 55 transactions. This trading activity caused its share price to decline by 2.05 per cent, settling at €1.43.
Malta Properties Company plc had a strong week as 104,063 shares were traded over 15 deals.
The outcome was a 16.52 per cent gain to close at €0.515.
Also in the property sector, MIDI plc and Plaza Centres plc traded flat despite generating turnovers of €123,969 and €18,696 respectively.
Tigne Mall plc closed at €1.05, a drop of 3.58 per cent. This was the outcome of four deals in which 37,830 shares were traded.
Global Capital plc shares were traded twice on slim volumes.
The result, however, was substantial as the equity recorded a sizable increase of 18.75 per cent to close at €0.38.
Simonds Farsons Cisk plc posted modest gains of 0.65 per cent to close at €7.80 as a result of two deals on slim volume. With regards to its spin-off company, Trident Estates plc, shares shall be listed for trading on the Malta Stock Exchange next Tuesday.
International Hotel Investments plc traded flat at €0.62 even though 13,128 shares changed hands over 5 transactions.
Similarly, GO plc and PG plc closed unchanged despite generating significant turnover values of €157,405 and €71,766.
Grand Harbour Marina plc traded four times and Santumas Shareholdings plc shares were traded six times during the week but both equities saw no change in their weekly closing prices.
In the corporate debt market a total of 42 issues were active of which, 19 headed higher while nine headed in the opposite direction. The 5.35% Bank of Valletta plc Sub € 2019 was the best performer of the week having closed at €103.8, resulting in a 2.01 per cent increase in price.
The 4% MIDI plc Secured € 2026 recouped nearly all of last week’s 1.18 per cent decline, as the bond price increased by 1.16 per cent, to close at €103.20.
On the negative side, the 5.8% International Hotel Investments plc 2023 headed the list of fallers as it traded 3.19 per cent lower to close at €104.02, after weeks of inactivity.
Meanwhile, in the local sovereign debt market, yields were down as out of a total of 23 active issues, 15 headed higher and six closed in the red. Among the list of gainers was the 2.4% MGS 2041(I) r which advanced by 2.07 per cent to close at €106.