The MSE Equity Price Index opened the week in positive territory as it climbed to a two-week high of 4,315.947 points, driven by the gains in BOV and IHI which in aggregate outweighed the declines in several other equities. Meanwhile, four other shares ended unchanged whilst the total value of equities traded climbed to €0.56 million.
Malta International Airport plc eased by 0.9% to the €5.55 level after partially rebounding from an intra-day low of €4.90 (-12.5%). A total of 31,590 shares having a market value of €0.16 million changed hands.
Simonds Farsons Cisk plc slipped by 1.3% back to the €7.40 level across 2,700 shares.
PG plc lost 1.5% to the €1.35 level as the equity is already trading ‘ex-dividend’. Tomorrow, the company is expected to publish its annual financial statements as at 30 April 2018 and an interim dividend will be declared. A total of 41,964 shares traded today.
Tigne’ Mall plc eased by 2.1% to the €0.95 level across five deals totalling 40,000 shares.
The other negative performing equities today were Malta Properties Company plc, GlobalCapital plc and Loqus Holdings plc albeit on trivial volumes. MPC and GlobalCapital each shed 4.7% to €0.486 and €0.286 respectively whilst Loqus Holdings retreated by 2.2% to the €0.09 level.
In contrast, Bank of Valletta plc added 1% to the €1.515 level on continued encouraging volumes totalling 141,469 shares for a market value of €0.21 million. The equity momentarily traded at a new multi-year low of €1.495 (-0.3%).
International Hotel Investments plc advanced by 2.4% to regain the €0.63 level on activity of 18,315 shares. The company is due to publish its interim results on 31 August.
Malita Investments plc surged nearly 3% to the €0.895 level across 20,000 shares.
Meanwhile, four other equities traded unchanged. RS2 Software plc maintained the €1.19 level across 20,941 shares. The company is scheduled to publish its interim financial results tomorrow.
Medserv plc (2,900 shares) and Mapfre Middlesea plc (3,923 shares) held on to €1.09 and €1.89 respectively. This afternoon, Medserv published its interim financial statements as at 30 June 2018 showing a recovery in EBITDA to €3.4 million (2017: €2.9 million).
Plaza Centres plc also ended flat at the €1.02 level on low volumes of 5,100 shares.
The RF MGS Index moved lower for the third consecutive day as it eased by a further 0.11% to a fresh three-week low of 1,092.253 points. Eurozone sovereign yields advanced today supported by a marked rebound in German business sentiment which rose to a five-month high.