Movements in equity and bond indices
The MSE Equity Total Return Index (MSE) continued to gain ground, as it ended the week 4.5% higher at 8,477.527 points. A total turnover of €1.4m was registered across 146 transactions, as 18 equities were active − of which 13 headed north while one closed in the opposite direction. The MSE Equity Total Return Index gained 14.5% during 2023.
The MSE MGS Total Return Index registered a gain of 0.3% to finish at 920.047 points. Out of the 19 active issues, two lost ground, while 16 moved higher. The 3.5% MGS 2028 (VI) issue registered the best performance of 2%, closing at €102.51. Meanwhile, the 3% MGS 2040 (I) registered a loss of 4.7%, concluding the week at €94.35. The MSE MGS Total Return Index gained 4% during 2023.
The MSE Corporate Bonds Total Return Index saw an increase of 0.3% over the week and a yearly gain of 3.2%, to close at 1,161.46 points. A total of 42 issues were active, as 11 appreciated, while 13 registered losses. The 3.75% Mercury Projects Finance plc Secured € 2027 gained 4.7% to close at €99, whereas the 3.85% Hili Finance Company plc Unsecured € 2028 issue lost 4.7% to close at €91.
Top 10 market movements
Bank of Valletta plc (BOV) shares continued to trend higher, as the equity closed at €1.42, a week-on-week increase of 9.2%. BOV’s price per share fluctuated between a weekly low of €1.30 and a high of €1.45. Total trading turnover tallied to €665,996. During 2023, BOV shares rallied by 75.3%.
The equity value of HSBC Bank Malta plc (HSBC) closed unchanged to end the week at €1.28, as seven deals on a volume of 41,963 shares were recorded. Since the beginning of 2023, HSBC shares jumped by 80.3%.
APS Bank plc (APS) shares gained 7.4% during last Wednesday’s trading session, to close at €0.58. The bank’s shares did not trade for the rest of the week. Since the start of 2023, APS shares are down by 2.9%.
The telecommunications company GO plc traded 5.5% higher, as it closed at €3.06. Trading activity included the exchange of 126,980 shares, worth €380,072. Over the past 12 months, the company’s share price gained 7%.
Similarly, BMIT Technologies plc jumped by 11.6% to the €0.404 level. Two trades across 3,201 shares were recorded. Since the beginning of the year, the company’s price per share declined by 12.2%.
The equity of RS2 Software plc gained 7.2% to end the year at €1.19, as 11 deals worth €94,771 were executed. On a year-to-date basis, the company’s share price is up 0.6%.
Simonds Farsons Cisk plc shares closed in the green, as the company’s equity gained 5.9% to close at €7.15. Five trades on a volume of 1,960 shares were recorded. Since January, the company’s equity value gained 4.4%.
Similarly, PG plc shares rallied by 4.8% to the €2.20 level. This increase was the result of 52,500 shares exchanging ownership over 10 deals. PG plc shares closed the year with a 5.8% gain.
Four trades of 15,500 International Hotel Investments plc shares pushed the company’s price per share 6.5% higher to the €0.575 price level. On a year-to-date basis, the equity is down by 14.8%.
Loqus Holdings plc dropped by 15% to close at €0.17. This decline was due to two small trades worth a mere €1,450. The company’s share value has been down by 10.1% since the beginning of 2023.
Company announcements
The board of directors of Malita Investments plc announced that following the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the company held on December 14, the agreed corporate updates have been affected as a result of the new memorandum and articles of association of the company (as duly approved at the EGM) having been submitted to, and registered by, the registrar of companies.
Further to the approval, the company applied to the Malta Financial Services Authority and MSE for the said 118,108,064 of a nominal value of fifty euro cents (€0.50) each, previously designated as ordinary ‘A’ shares and currently held by the government of Malta, to be admitted to listing and trading on the official list of the MSE. Following approval of such application, obtained on December 28, the entire issued share capital of the company, consisting of €74,054,032 divided into 148,108,064 ordinary shares of a nominal value of €0.50 each, is listed on the official list of the MSE.
Further to the previous announcement dated June 23, VBL plc announced that on December 29, it raised €295,500 and will proceed to issue and allot a total of 1,136,538 ordinary shares each having a nominal value of €0.20c with a premium of €0.06c in VBL, all fully paid-up.
We wish all our readers a healthy and prosperous new year.
This article, compiled by Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited, does not intend to give investment advice and the contents therein should not be construed as such. The company is licensed to conduct investment services by the MFSA and is a member of the Malta Stock Exchange and the Atlas Group. The directors or related parties, including the company, and their clients are likely to have an interest in securities mentioned in this article. For further information contact Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited at 67, Level 3, South Street, Valletta, tel: 2122 4410, or e-mail info@jesmondmizzi.com.