The Malta Stock Exchange index ended the last trading week for the year 0.33 per cent higher, closing at 4,430.985 points – registering a 33.02 per cent gain for 2015.
Turnover over the last three sessions of the year amounted to €1.5 million spread across 14 equities of which eight gained ground, three fell and another three closed unchanged.
Bank of Valletta plc shares headed the list of gainers having appreciated by €0.05 or 2.2 per cent as 21 trades were executed totalling 66,951 shares, closing at €2.35 – recording a 14.5 per cent increase for the year.
Meanwhile, HSBC Bank Malta plc shares rose by a minimal 0.1 per cent as 13 deals of 23,435 shares were executed, to close the year 0.4 per cent higher at €1.762.
Lombard Bank Malta plc shares were the most this week, having been negotiated across 12 transactions of 400,000 shares. The banking equity closed the week unchanged at €2.485 – 45.1 per cent higher than 2014’s closing price.
The trade finance bank FIMBank plc registered a 1.5 per cent decline as 35,000 shares changed ownership, closing at $0.66 – recording a 21 per cent rally for the year.
In the IT sector, 6pm Holdings plc shares advanced by 1.5 per cent across five trades of 14,901 shares, to close at £0.70.
On the other hand, RS2 Software plc shares traded flat at €3.16 as 4,435 shares exchanged hands. The latter registered a staggering 116.4 per cent gain in 2015.
The other non-movers were Mapfre Middlesea plc shares having traded unchanged at €2.30 across a sole transaction of 2,000 shares. The equity was the best performer for the year having appreciated by an impressive 131.4 per cent.
Malita Investments plc shares headed the list of fallers having declined by €0.034 or 3.5 per cent over a single deal of 2,000 shares, closing at €0.95.
Similarly, International Hotel Investments plc shares fell by 2.6 per cent across 10 trades of 38,070 shares, to close at €0.75.
On a positive note, Malta Properties Company plc shares fully erased their previous week’s 3.9 per cent loss having recouped by 7.2 per cent, closing €0.034 higher at €0.505. The equity was active on 13 transactions of 162,670 shares.
MIDI plc shares edged 1.4 per cent higher as six deals of 101,770 shares were struck, closing at €0.365 – 52.1 per cent higher than 2014.
Similarly, MaltaPost plc shares strengthened by 0.7 per cent over a single trade of 8,772 shares, to close at €1.812 – registering a 51 per cent gain for the year.
Malta International Airport plc shares rose by €0.03 or 0.8 per cent as 11 trades of 16,050 shares were executed, closing the year 71.5 per cent higher at €4.03.
Meanwhile, GO plc shares increased by 0.7 per cent as 8,994 shares changed ownership across six deals, to close at €3.02 – 18.4 per cent higher than 2014.
On Tuesday, Santumas Shareholdings plc announced that the company registered a profit before tax of €813,302 for the six months ended October 31, 2015. The company registered a profit before tax of €91,616 in the comparable period of 2014. Revenue for the period amounted to €872,907 – a significant increase from the €218,824 reported in 2014. Increase in fair value of financial assets amounted to €659,204 in the six months to October 2015. The equity was not active this week.
In the corporate bond market, 14 issues were active of which two closed unchanged, five gained ground and seven fell, as turnover totalled €200,278. The 5.9% HSBC Bank Malta plc € Sub 2018 was the worst performer having declined by 1.9 per cent, closing at €105.50, while the 3.5% BOV plc € Notes 2030 S1 TI headed the list of gainers having appreciated by four per cent, to close at €103.99.
Meanwhile, in the sovereign debt market, turnover amounted to €3.7m. A total of 21 issues were active of which 17 declined, three gained in value while the 4.65 MGS 2032 (I) traded flat at €135.89. The 2.3% MGS 2029 (II) was the most liquid issue having witnessed a turnover of €1.6 million.
We wish all our readers a prosperous New Year.
This article, which was compiled by Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited, does not intend to give investment advice and the contents therein should not be construed as such. The company is licensed to conduct investment services by the MFSA and is a member of the Malta Stock Exchange and a member of the Atlas Group. The directors or related parties, including the company, and their clients are likely to have an interest in securities mentioned in this article. For further information contact Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited at 67, Level 3, South Street, Valletta, or on Tel: 2122 4410, or e-mail info@jesmondmizzi.com.