(Alliance News) - European stock markets are gearing up for a bullish open on Wednesday--with Frankfurt the only major index set to open lower--though overall sentiment remains somewhat restrained amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and anticipation surrounding the US Federal Reserve's monetary policy decisions.
US President Donald Trump has called for Iran's "unconditional surrender" and threatened a direct strike against Supreme Leader Khamenei. These remarks have heightened fears of military escalation in the region, triggering defensive flows and weighing on equity appetite.
Against this backdrop, investors are maintaining a cautious stance ahead of today's Federal Reserve meeting, with markets focusing more on projections and the language of the statement than on rate action itself, which is widely expected to remain unchanged.
The FTSE Mib, after losing 1.4% to 39,387.22 points last night, is currently marking a gain of 82.00 points.
Last night, the Mid-Cap index fell 0.6% to 53,590.25, the Small-Cap slipped 0.3% to 30,813.63, while Italy Growth edged up 0.1% to 8,077.84.
Among European financial centers, London's FTSE 100 is projected up by 15.40 points, Paris' CAC is expected to rise by 15.00 points, while Frankfurt's DAX 40 is forecast to drop by 31.00 points.
On Piazza Affari at Tuesday's close, Brunello Cucinelli led the Mib with a 2.3% gain to EUR101.45 per share, following a 1.1% increase in the previous session.
Saipem also performed well, rising 2.1% to EUR2.39 per share.
According to German news agency Reuters, Italy has responded to EU concerns over conditions attached to UniCredit's offer--down 3.6% at EUR55.9--for Banco BPM, which fell 0.4% to EUR10, arguing that national savings are a matter of national security.
Leonardo, down 1.8% at EUR48.2, announced Tuesday that it has started a collaboration phase with Bombardier Defense to explore new opportunities in the maritime Multi-Mission Aircraft market.
Eni rose 1.1% to EUR14.15 after announcing the creation of a new company with Petronas. The agreement, signed in Kuala Lumpur, will establish a new joint venture to manage assets in Indonesia and Malaysia through a business combination that aims to ensure sustainable medium-term production of 500 kboepd, mainly gas, and leverage total reserves of about 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent, with an exploration potential of 10 billion boe.
These are days of intense contact between the European Central Bank and the top management of MPS, which fell 1.7% to EUR6.98, with CEO Luigi Lovaglio personally working to secure approval for the OPS on Mediobanca (down 1.0% to EUR19.2), the first step in a broader national financial restructuring. Mediobanca also announced the acquisition of own shares worth EUR8 million.
On the Mid-Cap, d'Amico topped the board with a 3.0% increase to EUR3.7 per share, while Ariston Holding slipped 2.5%.
Maire, slightly down 0.2% to EUR11, signed an agreement with NextChem and NewCleo to establish NextCleo.
Gamma Intermediate announced Tuesday that it has completed the placement of 53.6 million shares of Lottomatica Group--down 1.3%--representing about 21.3% of share capital, through a private placement via an accelerated bookbuilding offer. The sale price was set at EUR22.50 per share.
Among small caps, Digital Value stood out for a second consecutive session with a 6.6% gain to EUR30.7 per share. The company announced it has been awarded five lots in the tender launched by Consip under the seventh edition of the Multibrand Software Conventions.
The total value of the lots is EUR158 million, of which EUR108.4 million pertains to the group, plus over 20% in statutory ceilings as the lots' capacity is exhausted.
Altea Green Power also posted a positive performance, rising 3.3% to EUR8.4 per share.
Met.Extra Group ended the session with a 9.5% drop, alongside Class Editori, which fell 11 percentage points to EUR0.16 per share.
Among SMEs, Eprcomunicazione led with a 6.9% jump to EUR1.72 per share.
Maps announced that, following the fulfillment of contractually agreed suspensive conditions, it has finalized the acquisition of 51% of Ellysse Srl's share capital for a total cash consideration of EUR1.7 million. The stock closed Tuesday up 2.9% at EUR3.55 per share.
Clabo--flat at the end of the session--announced Tuesday it has requested access to a process called "negotiated crisis composition," a non-judicial procedure designed to help financially distressed companies find solutions without involving the courts. The aim is to better manage temporary payment difficulties and avoid more serious problems.
Across Asian markets, the Nikkei rose 0.8%, the Hang Seng retreated 1.3%, while the Shanghai Composite posted a fractional gain.
In New York last night, the Dow fell 0.7%, the Nasdaq lost 0.9%, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.8%.
Among currencies, the euro is trading at USD1.1507 from USD1.1513 on Tuesday evening, while the pound is at USD1.3459 from USD1.3502 the previous night.
In commodities, Brent crude is trading at USD75.93 per barrel from USD75.01 at the previous close, while gold is valued at USD3,384.37 an ounce from USD3,387.47 the day before.
On Wednesday, the economic calendar features Eurozone inflation data at 1100 CEST, followed half an hour later by a 30-year German bund auction.
From 1300 CEST, attention turns to US mortgage, retail sales, and crude oil inventory data.
The highlight of the day is at 2000 CEST, with the Federal Reserve's rate decision, followed half an hour later by a press conference from Chairman Jerome Powell.
Among companies on Piazza Affari, results are expected from Bestbe Holding.
By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News Reporter
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