The MSE Share Index closed in the black today for the third consecutive trading session as it reached a five-day high of 4,563.341 points (+0.03 per cent).

Trading activity was spread across twelve equities with five registering gains, another six shares ended in negative territory whilst only 6pm Holdings finished unchanged. Despite the broad activity, total value of equities traded was very low with only €217,000 worth of shares changing hands. Week-on-week, the MSE Share Index closed minimally lower with a decline of 0.11 per cent.

A single deal of 6,498 shares lifted the equity of FIMBank plc to a fresh six-year high of USD0.85 (+0.6 per cent). On Thursday, the trade finance specialist held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) during which top executives remarked that the Bank continued to register positive results during the first four months of the year.

The biggest driver behind today’s movement in the Index was International Hotel Investments plc. The hotel chain operator advanced by 3.2 per cent to the €0.64 level across just 5,000 shares.

Also among the large companies, Malta International Airport plc regained the €4.37 level (+0.5 per cent) across 2,129 shares. MIA is due to settle the recently approved final net dividend of €0.07 per share on Thursday 19 May.

Despite yesterday’s announcement of the January 2016 full-year results revealing a record pre-tax profit figure of €10.1 million, the equity of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc climbed minimally higher to the €6.30 across light volumes totalling 600 shares. The Directors recommended a final dividend (out of tax exempt profits) of €0.0733 per share, representing a 10.1 per cent increase over the final dividend paid out in respect of the previous financial year. This dividend will be paid on 30 June 2016 to all shareholders as at 25 May, subject to approval at the upcoming AGM scheduled to be held on 28 June.

Malta Properties Company plc rebounded from its lowest level in over three months of €0.542 to €0.543 today (+0.2 per cent) across 25,000 shares. On Tuesday, MPC issued an announcement saying that, throughout the last few months, revenue streams have remained stable and in line with expectations. Furthermore, the Company is continuing to embark on its strategy of redeveloping a number of its properties.

Within the same segment, MIDI plc eased by 2.3 per cent to the €0.38 level on trivial volumes. Yesterday, MIDI held its AGM during which shareholders approved a number of resolutions including the payment of a final net dividend of €0.007 per share to be paid by not later than 27 May. Furthermore, during the AGM, MIDI announced that, subject to regulatory approval, it intends to issue a €50 million 10-year secured bond mainly to redeem its outstanding listed debt on the first redemption date possible – i.e. 15 December 2016.

RS2 Software plc closed minimally lower at the €3.789 level across 31,415 shares having a market value of €119,000 – representing more than half of the total value of equities traded today. RS2 shareholders as at close of trading on 19 May will be eligible to receive the recently recommended final net dividend of €0.0278 per share (payable on 30 June) subject to approval at the upcoming AGM to be held on 23 June. The Directors are also recommending a bonus share issue of 1 new share for every 18 shares held (cut-off date: 19 May) and a 5 for 3 share split (cut-off date: 30 June).

Bank of Valletta plc eased 0.4 per cent to the €2.24 level across 11,722 shares. The net interim dividend of €0.0254 per share will be paid on 27 May.

GO plc retreated from its eight-month high of €3.60 to the €3.55 level across 10,000 shares. Eligible shareholders of GO are to receive the recently approved final net dividend of €0.10 per share today.

MaltaPost plc and Mapfre Middlesea plc closed down at €1.92 (-3.0 per cent) and €2.24 (-0.4 per cent) on insignificant volumes. On Tuesday, MaltaPost revealed its performance of the first six months of its financial year ended March 2016. The postal operator registered a net profit figure of €1.11 million, down from €1.64 million in the previous comparable period.

Meanwhile, 6pm Holdings plc held to the GBP0.95 level on a miniscule trade.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index reversed yesterday’s gains as it slipped by 0.13 per cent to 1,146.614 points. The 10-year benchmark German Bund yield advanced from a low of 0.10 per cent yesterday to a high of 0.16 per cent today after the publication of upbeat economic data from euro zone’s largest economy.

Indeed, growth picked up in Germany in the first quarter of the year, with GDP expanding by 0.7 per cent compared to 0.3 per cent in the final three months of 2015 and better than the 0.6 per cent expected by economists.

Year on year, growth was 1.6 per cent higher in the first quarter as against the same three months in 2015, up from 1.3 per cent annual growth in the final quarter of last year and better than the 1.5 per cent expansion forecast by economists.

 

 

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