Positive Start to 2026, Fincantieri Leads the Pack

(Alliance News) – Friday marked a bullish start to the year for Europe's main stock exchanges, with Milan's Piazza Affari coming off a record-breaking year with gains of 30% over the past 12 months.

On the macroeconomic front, Italy's manufacturing sector ended 2025 with a widespread contraction, halting the growth seen in November.

Additionally, data released Friday by S&P Global and compiled with Hamburg Commercial Bank showed the Eurozone PMI index fell to 48.8 in December from 49.6 in November, pushing it further below the neutral 50.0 threshold and indicating a sharper deterioration in manufacturing business conditions.

In this context, the Mib advanced 1.0% to 45,374.03 points, the Mid-Cap gained 0.2% to 58,939.23, the Small-Cap closed up 0.2% at 36,954.24, and Italy Growth saw purchases of 1.9% to 8,780.49 points.

Other markets were also positive: the CAC 40 ended up 0.5%, the DAX 40 rose 0.1%, and the FTSE 100 gained 0.2%.

"The FTSE 100's brief rally above the 10,000 mark is a strong signal for UK markets, reflecting continued confidence in earnings resilience, attractive valuations, and the growing appeal of British equities for international investors at a time when headwinds from monetary policy are beginning to ease," commented Axel Rudolph of IG.

"While the index's recent outperformance may become more volatile in 2026," the analyst continued, "it remains fundamentally supported by globally diversified earnings, solid cash generation, and the prospect of a more accommodative Bank of England, suggesting the trend is sustainable even if gains are more moderate compared to 2025's increase of over 20%," Rudolph concluded.

On Piazza Affari, the Mib was driven by the strong performance of Fincantieri, up 5.8% to EUR17.646 per share after a 0.9% gain in the previous session.

STMicroelectronics also saw solid buying, leading the group with a 4.3% rise to EUR23.43 per share, alongside Leonardo, up 4.2% to EUR51.22 per share.

Mediobanca climbed 1.0%, marking its third consecutive bullish session.

At the bottom of the list, Nexi closed the segment down 1.7%, together with Brunello Cucinelli, which lost 1.3%.

Banca Popolare di Sondrio, up 2.0%, announced an agreement with Nexi for the sale of its merchant acquiring business and the transfer to Nexi of its minority stake in Nexi Payments. The sale prices, EUR105 million and EUR57.7 million respectively, will be settled entirely in cash at closing.

On the Mid-Cap segment, Italmobiliare gained 3.7% to EUR28.35 per share, rebounding after two bearish sessions.

Technoprobe, meanwhile, rose 6.0%, following up on the 0.1% gain posted on Tuesday.

Juventus – up 0.3% – closed a delicate chapter in its dispute with the supervisory authority. Consob has concluded proceedings against the Turin-based club, several former directors and managers, and a current executive, imposing administrative fines that are collectively lower than the initial allegations.

Juventus Football Club was fined EUR190,000, less than the first proposal put forward by the authority's offices.

NewPrinces, up 2.2%, completed the acquisition of 100% of Plasmon from Kraft Heinz Italia for EUR124.3 million.

OVS – down 0.4% – announced, in light of ongoing interest, that the binding offer for the acquisition of 100% of Kasanova has been extended until February 4.

On the Small-Cap segment, Beewize had a strong day, up 14% to EUR0.3540 per share, after a 6.1% drop on Tuesday's final session of the previous year.

Aeffe also performed well, up 5.3%, marking its fifth consecutive bullish session.

OPS eCom reported it has sold its stakes in Giglio Shanghai Technology CO, Media 360 HK, and Salotto di Brera to Alfonso Apicella for a nominal value of EUR4,000.

The sale resulted in a capital loss of about EUR100,000. The stock closed flat at EUR0.12 per share.

Mare Group, up 2.2%, and Borgosesia, down 0.4%, announced that EasyGo, a search fund they jointly promoted, has completed its first acquisition with the purchase of EMM Systems.

The deal is valued at a total Equity Value of EUR7.5 million.

EPH – down 11% – resolved, at the proposal of shareholder RONA Limited Company, to set the number of board members at five and the board's term at three years.

Additionally, the board appointed Roberto Culicchi as chairman, Rodolfo Galbiati, Fabio Ramondelli, Biancamaria Zara, and Federica Capponi, the latter two as independent directors.

Among SMEs, Farmacosmo advanced 7.1% to EUR0.486 per share, marking its third consecutive bullish session.

Cloudia Research – down 2.8% – has issued a non-convertible, unsubordinated bond loan with a nominal value of EUR1.5 million, a seven-year term, and a 12-month pre-amortization period.

RES – Recupero Etico Sostenibile reported that the Molise Region has granted a contribution of EUR527,000 and the University of Naples "Federico II" EUR397,000 for the investment program for the project entitled "Muon Radiography for Landfill Mining."

With a total investment of EUR1.2 million, the program provides grants totaling EUR924,000 as non-repayable funding for the development of experimental research and development activities. RES shares closed up 5.1% at EUR6.56 per share.

Rino Petino posted a negative performance of 7.5%.

In New York, the Dow Jones is up 0.3%, the Nasdaq is down 0.2%, and the S&P500 is off 0.1%.

In currency markets, the euro is trading at USD1.1745 from USD1.1761 at Tuesday's European equity close, while the pound is at USD1.3491 from USD1.3517 on Tuesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent is trading at USD60.10 a barrel from USD61.44 at Tuesday's close, while gold is valued at USD4,320.12 an ounce from USD4,366.68 an ounce on Tuesday evening.

On Monday's economic calendar, at 0900 CET, Spain's unemployment rate will be released, while at 1000 CET, German consumer prices are expected.

At 1030 CET, the Sentix consumer confidence index for the Eurozone will be published, followed by US construction sector data at 1200 CET.

US manufacturing analysis is scheduled for 1600 CET, with new car registration data in France at 1800 CET.

No significant announcements are expected from Piazza Affari.

By Michele Cirulli, Alliance News Reporter

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