The MSE Share Index advanced by 0.09% to 4,546.310 points on high trading activity across 16 equities today. Seven share prices registered gains, four suffered declines whilst another five closed unchanged. Trading activity across the equity market increased substantially to a value of almost €630,000.
RS2 Software plc continued to inch higher as it closed at a new record high for the eighth consecutive session. The equity gained a further 1.0% to the €3.72 level across 11,800 shares. RS2 is the second best-performing equity since the start of the year, with an uplift of 17.7%.
Bank of Valletta plc and its associate company Mapfre Middlesea plc also registered gains. BOV touched a six-week high of €2.25 before edging back to the €2.241 level which represents an increase of 0.3% from yesterday’s close. A total of 95,068 shares changed hands today.
Mapfre Middlesea plc continued with its positive trend with a gain of 0.4% to the €2.60 level – the highest since late November 2008 – across 19,954 shares. The insurance specialist will reveal its 2015 financial results today.
GO plc regained the €3.31 level (+0.3%) across 23,700 shares. The equity trades with the entitlement to a final net dividend of €0.10 per share until 7 April 2016.
Santumas Shareholdings plc was the best performing equity with a gain of 2.2% to the €2.30 level on light volumes totalling 1,100 shares.
Malta Properties Company plc gained 1.6% and closed at the €0.579 level on nine deals totalling 79,956 shares. Likewise, Tigne’ Mall plc advanced to a new all-time high of €0.99 (+1.0%) across 16,484 shares.
Also in the property segment, MIDI plc maintained the €0.36 level across 10,000 shares. MIDI will publish its 2015 results on 28 March. The Board of Directors will also be considering the recommendation of a final dividend.
Amongst the large companies, HSBC Bank Malta plc (8,000 shares) and Malta International Airport plc (2,738 shares) also closed flat at €1.63 and €4.50 respectively. HSBC and MIA shareholders as at close of trading on 14 and 30 March respectively will be eligible to receive the recently declared final dividends.
A single deal of just 1,061 shares left the equity of 6PM Holdings plc unchanged at the GBP0.75 level.
MaltaPost plc recovered from an intra-day low of €1.939 to close unchanged at the €1.96 level across 14,470 shares.
Meanwhile, the parent company of the postal operator, Lombard Bank Malta plc, closed marginally lower at the €2.20 level across 10,908 shares. The Bank will reveal its 2015 financial results on 10 March.
FIMBank plc posted a decline of 2.3% to the USD0.625 level across 60,000 shares. The trade finance specialist will reveal its 2015 full-year results on 15 March.
Medserv plc retreated by 0.3% to the €1.645 level across 30,478 shares. Recently, the oil and gas logistics specialist announced the conclusion of the acquisition of the METS Group.
International Hotel Investments plc managed to rebound from an intra-day low of €0.666 but still closed 0.1% lower at the €0.719 level across 15,000 shares.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index retreated for the first time in a week as it edged 0.07% lower to 1,143.355 points. Eurozone bond yields partially recovered following the recent declines after fresh data showed that unemployment in the euro area dropped to 10.3% in January – the lowest level since August 2011. Most notably, the 10-year benchmark German Bund yield advanced from 0.13% yesterday to 0.19% this morning.
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