Bullish futures in ECB week.

(Alliance News) - European stock markets are set for a positive open Monday, with investors focusing on the upcoming euro zone inflation data for February, which will come ahead of the ECB's interest rate decision expected later this week.

Thus, the FTSE Mib -- after closing in the green by 0.1 percent at 38,655.09 Friday evening -- is advancing 47.50 points.

London's FTSE 100 is advancing 45.40 points, Paris' CAC 40 is in the green by 35.30 points, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is up 127.20 points.

The Mid-Cap on Friday lost 0.4 percent to 50,468.32, the Small-Cap fell 1.2 percent to 29,714.01 while Italy Growth advanced 0.1 percent to 7,828.17.

Back in Milan, on Friday, on the highest-capitalization list of the Milan Stock Exchange, Nexi did better than all by finishing on top up 9.0 percent, following the approval of its consolidated financial results as of December 31, which recorded a net profit of EUR731.0 million compared to EUR702.3 million. The board also proposed an ex-dividend of EUR0.25 per share, confirming management's previous plans.

On the other side of the main list was Saipem, down 2.1 percent. Citadel Advisors Europe cut its short position on the stock to 0.94% from 1.06% previously.

Banco BPM--up 0.4 percent--reported Friday that the shareholders' meeting approved--with nearly 98 percent of the votes in favor--modifications to the takeover bid on Anima Holding--up 0.5 percent on the Mid-Cap--by subsidiary Banco BPM Vita. The bank thus increased the offer consideration to EUR7.00 per share - cum dividend - from the previous EUR6.20.

Purchases for Hera, which closed up 1.7 percent at EUR3.742, after touching a 52-week high of EUR3.748 during the session.

Inwit--up 0.6 percent--reported Friday that the European Investment Bank has granted the company a EUR350 million loan to boost the country's digitization and connectivity, improving mobile coverage even in the most rural areas.

Among the bearish, Leonardo gave up 1.1 percent, while STMicroelectronics left 1.8 percent on the parterre.

On the Mid-Cap, Juventus Footbal Club - in the green by 6.6 percent - did well after it reported Thursday that it closed the first half of the 2024/2025 fiscal year with a profit of EUR16.9 million, an improvement of EUR112.0 million from a loss of EUR95.1 million in the same period a year earlier.

At the bottom of the cadet list, Banco di Desio e della Brianza finished down 3.0 percent.

On the Small-Cap, top for Generalfinance -- in the green by 9.3% -- after it announced Friday that it closed 2024 with an operating profit of EUR21.1 million from EUR15.1 million as of December 31, 2023. The board proposed to pay shareholders a dividend of EUR0.83 per share from EUR0.59 in 2023. The company also approved the new business plan to 2027, which details a turnover of EUR4.2 billion from EUR3 billion in 2024.

BasicNet -- up 0.8 percent -- announced Friday that it had completed an agreement with the Permira fund for the latter's entry into the capital of K-Way. The consideration for the deal achieved by BasicNet amounts to EUR192 million.

doValue - down 4.3 percent - on Thursday approved preliminary consolidated results for fiscal year 2024 ended with a net profit, excluding nonrecurring items, of EUR6.7 million from EUR1.8 million as of Dec. 31, 2023.

Fine Foods & Pharmaceuticals NTM - in the red by 2.1 percent - reported that the shareholders' meeting appointed managing director Pietro Oriani as a member of the board of directors and chief executive officer.

Among SMEs, good buys for ESI - up 0.0 percent - reported Friday that the board approved preliminary results for 2024, a fiscal year that ended with a value of production of EUR25 million, up 47 percent from EUR17.0 million in 2023.

Double-digit rises for Growens, in the green by 11 percent, while on the other side of the list double-digit declines for GT Talent Group, down 25 percent, and G Rent, in the red by 12 percent.

G Rent reported Thursday that the board has called a shareholders' meeting to vote on delisting its shares.

Adventure - down 9.8 percent - announced the closing of its acquisition of 100 percent of Primo Network.

Edil San Felice - down 0.4 percent - announced Friday that it had issued a sustainability-linked bond worth EUR4 million and with a term of five years.

Espe - down 0.3 percent - disclosed Friday the acquisition of two new contracts worth nearly EUR5 million.

Lemon Sistemi - in the green by 2.5 percent - announced the signing of a contract worth EUR1 million with Alfa Graniti for the construction of a photovoltaic plant in Chiaramonte Gulfi, in the province of Ragusa.

Mare Engineering Group - up 1.5 percent - reported Friday that it ended 2024 with a value of production of EUR44.6 million, up 13 percent from EUR39.4 million in 2023.

In New York on Friday evening, the Dow advanced 1.4 percent, the Nasdaq rose 1.6 percent as did the S&P 500.

Among Asian exchanges, the Nikkei closed up 1.7 percent, the Shanghai Composite gave up 0.1 percent, while the Hang Seng is posting a green of 0.4 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0403 against USD1.0406 in Friday's European equities close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2591 from USD1.2587 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD72.98 per barrel from USD72.88 per barrel at Friday's European stock close. Gold trades at USD2,862.41 an ounce from USD2,858.21 an ounce last night.

On Monday's macroeconomic calendar, in Europe, the morning will feature a series of PMI readings for the manufacturing sector. It starts at 0915 CET with data from Spain, followed at 0945 CET by the Italian index. At 0950 CET it will be France's turn, while at 0955 CET Germany's PMI will be released. At the Eurozone level, the data is expected at 1000 CET. Half an hour later the manufacturing data for UK is expected.

Also in Europe, at 1100 CET, the consumer confidence index for Spain will be published, and at the same time, the Eurozone consumer price index.

In the afternoon, the focus will shift to the US, where the manufacturing PMI is expected at 1545 CET.

Among the companies in Piazza Affari, the accounts of Autostrade Meridionali, Lottomatica Group and Next Geosolutions Europe are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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