In the Local Sovereign Debt market, the limelight was on the longer-dated bonds as those holding a maturity greater than 11 years registered the highest gains – easing the downward pressure exerted last week.
A total of 24 issues were active of which 15 headed north, while nine closed in the red. Total turnover in this market amounted to €9.66 million. For the second consecutive week, the 2.1% MGS 2039 (I) r continued to add to last week’s increase, notching a gain of 0.5 per cent to close at par.
On Thursday, the Accountant General announced that a second issuance of up to a maximum of €30 million of the 62+ Malta Government Savings Bond is being offered to individuals born in 1955 or before who did not participate in the September 2017 issuance and to applicants who applied for more than €5,000 in the first issuance and whose amounts were not allocated in full.
The 62+ Malta Government Savings Bond October 2017 Issue is being offered with similar terms and conditions to those of the September 2017 Issue.
Applications will be received on October 16 for amounts up to a maximum of €10,000 and a minimum of €500.
Application will close on the same day and will be subject to the same allocation policy applied for the applicants of the first issuance, unless the issue is oversubscribed after such an allocation policy is applied.
In the local corporate debt front, a total of 36 issues were active of which 14 closed higher, while 15 headed south. For the third consecutive week the 4% International Hotel Investments plc Unsecured € 2026 closed lower, having declined by 1.9 per cent to close at par.
On Friday, the Board of Directors of Mediterranean Bank plc, by means of a Board Resolution dated September 29, 2017, approved and accepted a capital contribution from the Bank’s majority shareholder, MeDirect Group Limited, amounting to €8.2 million.
The MSE Equity Total Return Index curbed last week’s gain as the index closed 0.37 per cent lower at 8,982.768 points.
A total of 17 issues were active during the week of which five advanced, while the majority amounting to 10 declined. Total turnover during the week amounted to €1.41 million – with Bank of Valletta plc generating 65 per cent of total turnover.
In the banking industry, Bank of Valletta plc shares together with Lombard Bank plc outperformed their peers, as the equities gained 1.7 per cent and 3.6 per cent to close at €2.107 and €2.28 respectively.
In contrast, HSBC Bank Malta plc and FIMBank plc shares closed in negative territory.
HSBC shares closed 1.8 per cent lower at €1.90, as 40,220 shares were exchanged over 14 deals.
Meanwhile, a single deal of 20,000 shares in FIMBank saw the equity’s value depreciate by 1.4 per cent to close at $0.70.
In the telecommunications sector, GO plc swayed between highs of €3.58 to lows of €3.455, closing the week at €3.515.
A total turnover of €57,072 was generated across 11 transactions.
Go plc announced that it will be investing in excess of €100 million in the coming five years to ensure that its infrastructure and systems reflect technological developments and continue to serve the growing demands of its market.
Malta International Airport plc shares reached a fresh 19-month high intra-week trading at €4.60.
A 1.1 per cent decline on Friday saw the equity close at the €4.55 price level.
Mapfre Middlesea plc erased last week’s advancement as a single trade of 1,460 shares saw the equity’s value close lower by 4.9 per cent to close at €1.844.
In the same sector, GlobalCapital plc shares declined by 2.7 per cent as a single trade of 2,000 shares was executed on Tuesday at €0.321. After closing flat last week, Maltapost plc shares headed in negative territory as the equity erased 3.8 per cent of its value to close the week at €1.904.
In the oil and gas sector, Medserv plc shares headed for a strong start during the week as the equity spiked by 5 per cent on Monday, maintaining its price level throughout, closing at €1.26.
A total turnover of €63,810 was generated between three trades.
Retail conglomerate, PG plc shares closed one cent lower of its all-time high of €1.50, closing the week at €1.49 as six trades generated a turnover of € 14,185
Similarly, food and beverage firm, Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, also moved away from its highest price level to date, as the equity was down by 0.3 per cent at €9.47.
International Hotel Investments plc shares declined by 0.8 per cent, as the equity closed the week at the €0.60 price level.
Meanwhile, two trades amounting to 9,146 shares on Friday saw the price of RS2 Software plc slide by two percent to close at €1.70.
Malta Properties Company plc shares outperformed its counterparts as equity was up by 1.9 per cent, to close at €0.529. Tigne Mall plc and MIDI plc shares closed the week flat at €0.96 and €0.31 respectively on low turnover.