(Alliance News) - By mid-session on Wednesday, European markets were regaining ground after a sluggish opening, while the FTSE 100 bucked the trend with a slight decline.
In the US, the Senate passed a resolution to limit Donald Trump's powers regarding the conflict in Iran. Although this is a symbolic move unlikely to gain further traction, it underscores the political climate surrounding the tycoon regarding Middle Eastern affairs.
Among macroeconomic news, Eurozone annual inflation rose to 3.0% in April from 2.6% in March, while across the EU, the figure increased to 3.2% from 2.8% the previous month. A year earlier, inflation stood at 2.2% in the Eurozone and 2.4% in the EU.
On the domestic front, Istat estimates that the seasonally adjusted index of construction production fell by 0.7% in March compared to February, following a 0.1% decline the previous month. On average for the first quarter of 2026, construction production fell by 2.0% compared to the previous quarter.
In this context, the MIB rose by 0.3% to 48,512.07, the Mid-Cap by 0.4% to 60,228.71, the Small-Cap by 0.2% to 34,107.33, while Italy Growth edged up 0.2% to 8,817.25.
European peers were also in positive territory: the CAC 40 rose 0.3% and the DAX 40 gained 0.2%, while the FTSE 100 slipped 0.1%.
On Piazza Affari, STM remained at the top with gains of 4.2% at EUR54.33 per share, while Nexi sat at the bottom of the basket with a 1.4% decline to EUR3.444 per share.
DiaSorin - down 1.3% - approved its industrial plan to 2030, which forecasts average annual revenue growth between 6% and 8% at constant exchange rates. For 2026, the company confirmed its guidance with expected revenue growth between 5% and 6% compared to the previous year.
Stellantis, up 0.5%, and Dongfeng Group announced on Wednesday that they have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding. The two parties plan to further expand their 34-year partnership, intending to create a Europe-based joint venture for the sale, distribution, production, procurement, and engineering of Dongfeng's new energy vehicles, with an initial focus on selected European markets.
Leonardo - up 1.3% - signed a contract with Abu Dhabi Ship Building, the naval division of the EDGE group, to supply next-generation naval combat systems in the Falaj 3 configuration for the Kuwaiti Navy's 'Al Dorra' new vessel program. The contract is valued at approximately EUR320 million.
Qivalis is expanding its network to 37 financial institutions across 15 countries with the entry of 25 new banks, including Intesa Sanpaolo and BPER Banca, the latter having placed a EUR500 million perpetual bond yesterday. The project aims to develop a euro-pegged stablecoin compliant with European MiCa regulations, under the supervision of the Dutch central bank, to create a European on-chain payment and settlement infrastructure as an alternative to dollar dominance.
Intesa shares were flat at EUR5.539, while BPER was fractionally lower at EUR11.596 per share.
UniCredit - down 0.2% at EUR70.34 per share - has surpassed a 40% stake in Commerzbank through shares and derivatives, while acceptance of the exchange offer launched by the group led by Andrea Orcel for the German institution remains at 0.02%. According to the latest BaFin data, UniCredit holds 26.77% of Commerzbank in shares, plus 10.7% through cash-settled derivatives and a further 3.22% through total return swaps.
Enel, up 0.1%, successfully placed a two-tranche bond totaling EUR2.5 billion on the Eurobond market, aimed exclusively at qualified investors. Demand reached approximately EUR8.5 billion, roughly 3.5 times the offer.
On the Mid-Cap, MAIRE - up 2.5% - announced new awards and additional work related to previously announced orders totaling approximately EUR1.3 billion, with projects located in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Pirelli & C, down 0.2% at EUR5.945 per share, announced that the shareholders' agreement signed on May 16, 2022, between China National Chemical Corporation Limited, China National Tire & Rubber Corporation, CNRC International Limited, Fourteen Sundew, Marco Polo International Italy, Camfin, and Marco Tronchetti Provera & C. expired on May 18 at the end of its three-year term.
Ferretti, up 0.1%, reported a first-quarter profit decline to EUR23.9 million from EUR21.0 million in the same period of 2025, down 12%.
Technoprobe maintained its lead, rising 5.1% to EUR29.46 per share.
On the Small-Cap, Aedes, which saw no trades, announced that on May 25 it will execute a reverse stock split at a ratio of one new ordinary share for every 10 ordinary shares held. The company will consolidate 128.1 million existing ordinary shares into 12.8 million new ordinary shares.
Trevi Finanziaria, up 0.8%, will proceed with a reverse stock split at a ratio of one new share for every 20 existing shares. Specifically, the company stated that the 312.3 million existing ordinary shares will be consolidated into 15.6 million new ordinary shares, while share capital will remain unchanged at EUR123.1 million.
The best performance came from doValue, which rose 5.9% to EUR2.224 per share.
Among SMEs, eVISO - up 0.5% - reported results for the third quarter and nine months. Specifically, from January to March, revenues were EUR97.8 million, compared to EUR86.3 million in the corresponding period of the previous year, a 13% increase. For the nine months from July 2025 to March 2026, revenues stood at EUR252.5 million against EUR255.9 million recorded in the same period a year earlier, a 1.0% decrease.
Officina Stellare, flat at EUR35.60, closed 2025 with a net profit of EUR1.8 million, up 81% from EUR1.0 million as of December 31, 2024. The value of production in 2025 reached EUR26.6 million, up 21% from EUR22.0 million the previous year.
SG Co, up 1.4%, announced that its board of directors approved the implementation procedures for a EUR2.5 million share buyback program. The program will begin on May 25 and end on October 28, 2027, for a maximum period of 18 months. To date, the company holds 334,473 treasury shares.
Destination Italia, down 0.9%, announced that its board of directors confirmed Giulio Valiante and Massimiliano Cossu as CEOs of the company, granting them powers for ordinary management.
In New York on Tuesday, the Dow closed down 0.7% at 49,363.88, while the Nasdaq finished 0.8% lower at 25,870.71 and the S&P 500 closed down 0.7% at 7,353.61.
Among Asian markets, the Hang Seng shed 0.6% to 25,651.12, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.2% to 4,162.18, while the Nikkei closed 1.2% in the red at 59,804.41.
On the currency front, the euro changed hands at USD1.1596 from USD1.1591 on Tuesday evening, while the pound traded at USD1.3383 from USD1.3397 last night.
Among commodities, Brent traded at USD109.31 per barrel from USD110.54 per barrel on Tuesday evening, while gold was valued at USD4,476.88 an ounce from USD4,501.17 an ounce at yesterday's close.
Wednesday's economic calendar features US mortgage reports at 1300 CEST, followed by US heating oil and gasoline inventory figures at 1630 CEST.
The FOMC minutes will be released at 2000 CEST.
By Michele Cirulli, Alliance News reporter
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