The MSE Equity Price Index stayed at its highest level in two weeks as the gains in BOV, HSBC and Farsons were offset by the declines in IHI, RS2 and GlobalCapital. Meanwhile, seven equities closed the day unchanged. Trading volumes remained buoyant as €0.47 million worth of shares changed hands.
Both Bank of Valletta plc (113,211 shares) and HSBC Bank Malta plc (13,066 shares) gained 0.5% to €1.84 and €1.86 respectively. BOV’s financial statements covering the 15-month period from 1 October 2016 to 31 December 2017 will be published next Friday 23 March 2018.
Simonds Farsons Cisk plc advanced by 0.7% from its over 14-month low of €6.95 to regain the €7.00 level on four deals totalling 7,400 shares.
In contrast, RS2 Software plc slipped by 1.4% back to the €1.42 level across 7,010 shares.
International Hotel Investments plc and GlobalCapital plc both ended lower at the €0.61 and €0.35 levels respectively on trivial volumes.
Very low trading activity also took place in the equities of Mapfre Middlesea plc and PG plc which closed flat at €1.95 and €1.38 respectively. Mapfre Middlesea will continue to trade with the entitlement to the recently announced final net dividend of €0.1054 per share until next Friday 23 March 2018.
In the property segment, Midi plc retained the €0.346 level across 101,590 shares. On Wednesday, the company announced that its Board of Directors is scheduled to meet on Monday 23 April 2018 to consider and approve the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017. The directors will also consider the declaration of a dividend.
Three deals totalling 52,500 shares left the equity of Malita Investments plc at the €0.805 level.
GO plc maintained the €3.60 level after opening at a low of €3.58 (-0.6%). A total of 6,010 shares traded.
Malta International Airport plc (12,210 shares) and MaltaPost plc (9,390 shares) also traded unchanged at €4.94 and €1.90 respectively.
On Wednesday, Malta Properties Company plc revealed its financial performance for 2017. The company reported substantially improved net profits largely on the back of a much larger positive adjustment in the fair value of property of €4.97 million in 2017 compared to €1.7 million in the previous comparable period. Similar to previous years, the directors are not recommending the payment of a dividend.
The RF MGS Index trended lower for the first time in six days as it retreated by 0.03% from its over seven-week high of 1,118.164 points to 1,117.849 points. Euro zone sovereign yields gained today ahead of the conclusion of the two-day monetary policy meeting of the US Federal Reserve.
Stock markets are volatile and subject to fluctuations which cannot be reasonably foreseen. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.