(Alliance News) - In 2024, the Italian stock market saw a dearth of new listings, with many delisting transactions and a sharp increase in capital increases, which rose 40 percent from the previous year, as Milano Finanza writes Thursday.
SMEs have continued to face high debt costs, although rates have begun to fall since July.
As the newspaper writes, the capital market supported the companies' growth, with capital increase transactions raising EUR948 million.
However, there has been a general slowdown, due to a lack of investors and strategies for the real economy. One answer could come from CDP's fund, which will invest in SMEs with an allocation of about EUR1 billion, MF reports.
In the mergers and acquisitions sector, deals grew 13 percent in number and 9 percent in volume, buoyed by lower rates and undercapitalization of companies.
By 2025, M&A deals are expected to increase further, especially in the Life Sciences, Energy & Utilities, Technology and Financial Services sectors, with opportunities for SMEs to expand. However, unknowns remain on the issues of takeover bids and delisting.
Finally, the use of debt, both private and bank, will continue, but private equity funds may focus less and less on small caps, risking increased multiples and impacts on returns.
By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter
Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com
Copyright 2025 Alliance News IS Italian Service Ltd. All rights reserved.