European markets in the green; Mib up with STM as Amplifon collapses

(Alliance News) - On Monday, against a backdrop of continued geopolitical uncertainty, major European markets closed the session in positive territory.

In the Middle East, the conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel entered its third week, with Brent crude prices now hovering near USD102 per barrel.

On the domestic front in Italy, public administration debt increased by EUR16.8 billion in January compared to the previous month, reaching EUR3,112.3 billion, according to data released by the Bank of Italy.

Consequently, the FTSE Mib closed up 0.1% at 44,347.56, the Mid-Cap lost 1.2% to 53,497.59, the Small-Cap fell 2.0% to 32,833.40, while Italy Growth retreated 0.1% to 8,349.76.

Other European exchanges were positive: Paris's CAC 40 rose 0.3%, Frankfurt's DAX 40 gained 0.5%, and London's FTSE 100 climbed 0.6%.

On Piazza Affari, Fincantieri - which closed 0.3% in the green - announced its inclusion in the Mib ESG Index, Borsa Italiana's blue-chip index dedicated to Environmental, Social, and Governance best practices, effective March 23.

UniCredit - with a daily gain of 0.5% - launched an exchange offer (OPS) for all shares to potentially exceed the 30% threshold set by German regulations. However, the bank stated it does not intend to "significantly" exceed that limit, aiming only to approach it from its current 26% stake.

UniCredit's moves toward a possible acquisition of Commerzbank appear sensible to market observers, although Commerzbank itself currently seems unconvinced, going as far as to oppose the "hostile" bid.

Eni, which identified two new gas and condensate structures named Bahr Essalam South 2 and 3 located approximately 85 km offshore in an area characterized by excellent quality reservoirs in the Metlaoui Formation, ended trading up 0.8% at EUR22.535 per share.

Amplifon signed a definitive agreement with GN Store Nord to acquire its entire Hearing business through a combination of shares and cash. The deal values GN Hearing at approximately EUR2.3 billion on a cash and debt-free basis. The stock plummeted 14% on the stock exchange to EUR9.018 per share after hitting a 52-week low.

The surprise star of Leonardo's new industrial plan is the Michelangelo Dome defense shield, a platform symbolizing the multi-domain strategy of the group led by Roberto Cingolani. Alone, it could generate EUR21 billion in opportunities and was mentioned 23 times during the plan's presentation; the stock shed 0.4%.

Strong buying was seen for STM, up 2.7%, and Brunello Cucinelli, up 2.4%, while Nexi recorded a 6.6% decline to EUR2.786 per share.

On the Mid-Cap, Sesa finalized the sale of its 6.65% stake in DV Holding for EUR11.3 million. The stock gained 1.9% to EUR78.85 per share.

Banca Ifis, with a daily contraction of 1.2%, expanded its range of funding instruments by launching its first Euro-Commercial Paper Programme, intended for the placement of short-term debt exclusively to professional investors.

The program has an expected duration of three years, with a maximum total amount of up to EUR1 billion.

Intesa Sanpaolo raised its target price on d'Amico International Shipping - which closed up 7.5% - to EUR7.70 from EUR6.30, maintaining a 'buy' rating after a "quarter in line with estimates" and primarily due to "favorable market conditions for oil product tankers, albeit at lower levels than the exceptional peaks of 2024."

MARR closed at the bottom of the list, down 17%, after hitting a 52-week low of EUR6.66 per share, while Avio gained 4.0% to EUR37.95 per share.

On the Small-Cap, the board of Dexelance - down 3.6% - approved the draft annual financial report as of December 31. The group ended the year with a reported net loss of EUR17.7 million, compared to a profit of EUR17.9 million in 2024. Full adjusted net profit stood at EUR6.2 million, representing 1.7% of full revenues.

Mondo TV signed a binding investment agreement with Hemlock West, a Canadian strategic investor active in the media and film sectors, following the MoU signed and communicated to the market last February. The stock benefited, rising 18%.

Bestbe Holding approved the group's 2026-2030 industrial plan, aimed at developing the Balkans Renewable Energy project, a strategic initiative of the new ownership focused on the production, management, and marketing of electricity from renewable sources in European markets.

The Italian Sea Group, which resorted to a negotiated settlement procedure, collapsed with a 47% sell-off to EUR1.072 per share. Conversely, Met.Extra Group saw buying interest, up 2.8% at EUR1.84 per share.

Among SMEs, Simone closed 2025 with preliminary revenues of EUR17.0 million, up 7.0% from EUR16.0 million as of December 31, 2024. The company explained that revenues from the Legal-Professional segment stood at EUR11.9 million, down 1.6% from EUR12.1 million in 2024. The stock rose 1.4%.

Xenia Hotellerie Solution - up 4.3% - signed a binding agreement for the acquisition of the 4-star Hotel La Ruota business branch in Pianfei, Cuneo, and for a Rent To Buy contract for the real estate component.

The future of Porto Aviation Group, an aeronautical company founded in 2017 by Italian-Argentine engineer Alberto Porto, is being played out primarily between Serbia and the USA.

The company, listed on the EGM since 2023, caught investors' attention with the Risen 916, an ultralight two-seater in the experimental category capable of exceeding an average speed of 430 km/h - with peaks of 450 - a certified record. The stock soared 20% to EUR9.70 per share.

In New York, the Dow is up 0.6%, the Nasdaq is up 1.0%, while the S&P 500 is moving in positive territory by 0.8%.

On the currency front, the euro is trading at USD1.1481 from USD1.1441 on Friday, while the pound exchanges at USD1.3294 from USD1.3237 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent is trading at USD102.92 per barrel from USD101.53 per barrel on Friday, while gold is worth USD4,981.49 per ounce from USD5,048.93 per ounce on Friday evening.

On Tuesday's economic calendar, the consumer price index in Italy is scheduled for 1000 CET, followed by the ZEW index of German economic conditions at 1100 CET.

At 1230 CET, the Chicago Fed President will deliver a speech, while a speech by Bundesbank President Nagel is expected at 1615 CET.

On Piazza Affari, results are expected from A2A, Poste Italiane, PharmaNutra, and five other companies.

By Michele Cirulli, Alliance News reporter

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