Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/647574
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 2 MARCH 2016 12 Regular market closed – 2/3/2016 Symbol Code Volume Traded Value Traded Trades High Price Low Price Open Price Close Price Change ▼ 6PM 5,304 3,978.00 1 0.750 0.750 0.750 0.750 -0.010 ▲ BOV 21,628 48,320.42 11 2.235 2.230 2.235 2.235 0.005 ▼ GO 1,300 4,290.00 2 3.300 3.300 3.300 3.300 -0.010 ▼ HSB 17,266 28,575.15 9 1.669 1.630 1.669 1.630 -0.039 ▲ LOM 5,095 11,214.10 2 2.201 2.201 2.201 2.201 0.001 ● MDI 27,735 9,984.60 1 0.360 0.360 0.360 0.360 0.000 ▼ MIA 6,596 29,991.06 8 4.600 4.500 4.600 4.500 -0.100 ▲ MLT 10,000 9,850.00 1 0.985 0.985 0.985 0.985 0.055 ▲ MMS 650 1,683.50 1 2.590 2.590 2.590 2.590 0.010 ▲ RS2 14,133 51,944.21 8 3.690 3.670 3.670 3.690 0.029 ▲ SFC 2,000 12,400.00 1 6.200 6.200 6.200 6.200 0.200 ▼ G16B 24,925 25,794.88 1 103.490 103.490 103.490 103.490 -0.040 ● G17C 40,600 43,474.48 2 107.080 107.080 107.080 107.080 0.000 ▲ G19A 7,000 8,565.20 1 122.360 122.360 122.360 122.360 0.010 ▲ G21A 4,000 4,974.00 1 124.350 124.350 124.350 124.350 0.110 ▲ G28B 76,000 101,192.00 2 133.280 133.000 133.000 133.280 0.630 ▲ G29B 342,300 367,994.50 19 107.610 107.400 107.400 107.610 0.610 ▲ G30A 37,200 53,467.56 2 143.730 143.730 143.730 143.730 0.740 ▲ G31A 21,500 30,960.00 4 144.000 144.000 144.000 144.000 0.650 ▲ G32A 37,000 50,583.60 6 136.900 136.490 136.490 136.900 0.580 ▲ G32B 157,000 210,646.90 3 134.170 134.170 134.170 134.170 0.570 ▲ G33A 25,000 32,980.00 4 131.920 131.920 131.920 131.920 0.530 ▲ G40A 218,400 239,935.08 6 109.970 109.620 109.620 109.970 0.680 ▼ BV18A 9,000 9,360.00 2 104.000 104.000 104.000 104.000 -0.510 ▲ BV30A 100,400 100,123.42 6 99.740 99.700 99.700 99.730 0.220 ▼ BV30B 10,000 9,925.00 1 99.250 99.250 99.250 99.250 -0.450 ● HM24A 2,500 2,700.00 1 108.000 108.000 108.000 108.000 0.000 ▲ IH25A 11,900 13,090.00 4 110.000 110.000 110.000 110.000 1.480 ▲ PT24A 10,000 10,997.19 2 109.980 109.950 109.950 109.980 1.980 Market Summary as at March 2, 2016 Equity Official List Session State ................................................................... Market Closed Number of trades ............................................................. 112 Volume Traded ................................................................. 1,246,432 Value of € denominated securities .................................... 1,525,016.85 Value of US$ denominated securities ................................ 0.00 Value of GBP£ denominated securities .............................. 3,978.00 Current Index ................................................................... 4,542.299 Previous Index ................................................................. 4,553.802 Change in Index (%) ......................................................... -0.253% 6pm Holdings plc ......................... 0.760 0.00% MaltaPost plc ................................ 1.960 0.00% Bank of Valletta plc ....................... 2.230 0.04% Medserv plc .................................. 1.650 0.00% FIMBank plc ................................. 0.640 0.00% Mapfre Middlesea plc .................... 2.580 0.39% GlobalCapital plc .......................... 0.460 0.00% MIDI plc ........................................ 0.360 0.00% GO plc .......................................... 3.310 0.30% Plaza Centres plc ........................... 1.000 0.00% Grand Harbour Marina plc ............. 1.030 0.00% RS2 Software plc ........................... 3.661 0.44% HSBC Bank Malta plc ..................... 1.669 1.83% Simonds Farsons Cisk plc .............. 6.000 0.00% International Hotel Investments plc 0.720 0.00% Tigné Mall plc ............................... 0.980 0.00% Island Hotels Group Holdings plc ... 1.101 0.00% Pefaco International plc ................ 2.240 0.00% Lombard Bank Malta plc ............... 2.200 0.00% Santumas Shareholdings plc ........ 2.250 1.35% Malita Investments plc ................... 0.930 0.00% Malta Properties Company plc ....... 0.570 0.00% Malta International Airport plc ....... 4.600 2.22% MSE Index Business Today Money Market Report for the week ending February 26, 2016 ECB Monetary Operations On Monday, February 22, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced its weekly main refinancing operation (MRO). The operation was conducted on Tuesday, February 23, and attracted bids from euro area eligible counterparties of €65.75 billion, €3.96 billion higher than the bid amount of the previous week. The amount was allotted in full at a fixed rate equivalent to the prevailing MRO rate of 0.05%, in accordance with current ECB policy. On Wednesday, February 24, the ECB conducted a three-month, longer-term refinancing operation to be settled as a fixed rate tender procedure with full allotment, with the rate fixed at the average rate of the MROs over the life of the operation. The auction attracted bids of €13.65 billion from euro area eligible counterparties. The amount was allotted in full in accordance with current ECB policy. Also on Wednesday, February 24, the ECB conducted a seven- day US dollar funding operation through collateralised lending in conjunction with the US Federal Reserve. This operation attracted bids of $0.09 billion, which was allotted in full at a fixed rate of 0.87%. Domestic Treasury Bill Market In the domestic primary market for Treasury bills, the Treasury invited tenders for 91-day and 182- day bills maturing on May 26 and August 25, 2016, respectively. Bids of €22.00 million were submitted for the 91-day bills, with the Treasury accepting €20.80 million, while bids of €2.00 million were submitted for the 182-day bills, with the Treasury accepting all bids. Since €7.00 million worth of bills matured during the week, the outstanding balance of Treasury bills increased by €15.80 million, to stand at €339.65 million. The yield from the 91-day bill auction was -0.137%, down by 0.7 basis point from bids with a similar tenor issued on February 18, 2016, representing a bid price of 100.0346 per 100 nominal. The yield from the 182-day bill auction was -0.05%, up by 7 basis points from bids with a similar tenor issued on January 28, 2016, representing a bid price of 100.0253 per 100 nominal. During the week under review, there was no trading on the Malta Stock Exchange. On Tuesday the Treasury invited tenders for 91-day and 182-day bills maturing on June 2 and September 1, 2016, respectively. Fresh data confi rms Chinese economic slowdown Fresh data from China has confirmed its economy is continuing to lose steam. Two major official and private indexes used to gauge the country's manufacturing activity indicate a worsening contraction in the sector. The bad news comes just after the central bank's latest stimulus measure to boost liquidity. China's slowing growth has been dragging the global economy as Beijing hopes for a shift towards services and consumption in its domestic market. Tuesday's government data shows that activity in China's manufacturing sector shrank for the seventh straight month in February. Coming in below market expectations, the Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) fell to 49.0, down from 49.4 the previous month. The index is used as an indicator of factory activity, and any reading below the 50 mark points at a contraction in the sector. Aside from the government data, the private Caixin-sponsored PMI, which focuses on smaller companies, came in even worse at 48.0 for February, marking the lowest reading in five months. The disappointing figures were released only one day after the central bank had reduced the so-called reserve rate ratio for banks, which is the amount banks must hold in reserve. In Beijing's latest attempt to tackle slowing growth, the cut is aimed at boosting liquidity, making it easier for banks to lend money. The bank's announcement comes only days before the annual meeting of China's parliament, which hopes to push an economic shift to make the services sector and consumption a stronger driver of the economy. While the February PMI for the service sector did come in above the 50 threshold it still declined compared to the previous month. Analysts doubt the extent to which services and domestic consumption can prop up the world's second largest economy as the manufacturing slump is expected to affect people's spending power. Beijing on Monday said it expects layoffs of 1.8 million workers in the coal and steel industry alone, about 15% of the workforce, to cut down overcapacity. Volkswagen boss warns US emissions deal could cost more Volkswagen's boss has warned that a deal with US authorities over its emissions scandal could take long- er and cost more than expected. Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, Matthias Mueller told the BBC that VW was still in "constructive dialogue" with regulators and hoped the firm would be "judged fairly". He said he was "impatient" for answers. The VW boss also warned that the €6.7 billion set aside to cover the costs of the scandal might not be enough. "I've postponed our year-end financial results and the AGM to improve their quality, so that we can be even more confident and take even more care and diligence in establishing the figures. "Then we'll see if we have to make additional provisions, over and above the €6.7bn," he added. Mueller said an internal inquiry could be ready in April. Last September, US authorities discovered that VW used computer software to massage emissions data during tests, sparking the biggest crisis in VW's history and leading to the departure of Mueller's predecessor. The US J u s t i c e D e p a r t m e n t is suing VW for breaching environmental laws, and VW has been ordered to fix almost 600,000 diesel vehicles in the country fitted with so-called "defeat devices". However, about 11 million vehicles globally have been fitted with the devices.