(Alliance News) - On Thursday, major European indexes meet IG futures forecasts and open in positive territory, with Piazza Affari above 35,900.
Thus, the FTSE Mib is up 0.9% to 35,958.84, the Mid-Cap rises 0.7% to 47,668.18, the Small-Cap is in fractional green at 28,031.29 while Italy Growth picks up 0.2% to 7,874.21.
London's FTSE 100 is in the green by 0.7 percent, Paris' CAC 40 is up 1.3 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is up 0.2 percent.
On the macroeconomic front, in Germany, the annual inflation rate was confirmed at 2.6 percent in December, marking the third consecutive month of acceleration and increasing from 2.2 percent in November, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office on Thursday. This is the highest inflation reading since January.
In the UK, according to data released Thursday by the Office for National Statistics, the economy grew by 0.1 percent monthly in November, recovering from the 0.1 percent contraction recorded in both October and September, but falling short of expectations for a 0.2 percent increase.
Over the same period, the trade deficit fell to GBP4.76 billion in November, down from an upwardly revised GBP5.01 billion in October.
Returning to Milan, on the highest-capitalization list in Piazza Affari, Moncler takes the lead at the start and rises 7.7 percent. Of note, Barclays downgraded the stock to 'equal weight' from 'overweight' and cut its target price to EUR56.00 from EUR61.00 previously.
Brunello Cucinelli, in the green by 1.8 percent, and Nexi, up 1.7 percent, are doing well.
Saipem rises 0.9%, after closing at the bottom of the Mib on Wednesday's session.
Generali - in the green by 0.5 percent - aims to become the top foreign insurer in Spain by 2027, overtaking Zurich, Axa and Allianz, as Milano Finanza writes Thursday.
Telecom Italia is at the tail end of the main list, down 0.5 percent. The company won a legal battle against partner Vivendi over the sale of the network to the KKR fund for EUR18.8 billion. The Milan court rejected Vivendi's appeal, which challenged TIM's board resolution on the sale, holding that it should go through the approval of the extraordinary shareholders' meeting and obtain the opinion of the related parties committee.
However, the judges deemed the appeal inadmissible, as Vivendi did not show interest in calling the meeting or blocking the sale.
On the Mid-Cap, Salvatore Ferragamo is up 5.1 percent, in its second bullish session.
De' Longhi--up 5.8 percent--announced Wednesday the start of a share buyback plan for a maximum amount of about EUR60.0 million, or 1.4 percent of share capital.
Banca Ifis is down 2.4 percent, in its second bearish session. According to a report in La Repubblica on Thursday, Banca Sella Holding opened to the bank's valuation of its offer on illimity Bank--down 0.9% on the small-cap--in which it holds 10%.
Fincantieri - in the red by 0.3 percent - announced that it had completed the acquisition of Leonardo's Underwater Armament Systems underwater business - down 0.2 percent on the Mib - through the purchase of the entire share capital of the newco WASS Submarine Systems.
The total value of the deal, announced May 9, is EUR 287 million, with a possible maximum adjustment of EUR 415 million, depending on future results.
OVS -- in the green by 2.4 percent -- and Unigross are preparing a joint bid to take over Conbipel, the financially troubled historic clothing chain, which includes about a hundred stores and employees, Il Corriere della Sera wrote Wednesday. OVS would acquire the larger stores, turning them into stores with its own brands, while Unigross would take over the smaller ones.
On the Small-Cap, strength on Bastogi, moving ahead 4.7 percent, following eve's green.
Among the bullish, Fidia advances 5.8%, Netweek rises 3.2%, and Dexelance gains 2.9%.
At the bottom is B&C Speakers - down 2.9 percent. The company reported Tuesday that its fiscal year 2024 consolidated revenues amounted to EUR100.0 million, registering a 6.4 percent growth compared to EUR94.0 million in 2023, according to preliminary data.
Among SMEs, Pharmacosmo climbs 5.6 percent, following Wednesday's decline.
Healthy Fope, in the green by 5.0%, after it reported Thursday that it ended fiscal year 2024 with consolidated net revenues of EUR73.4 million, up 10% from EUR66.8 million in 2023.
Net financial position is EUR3.3 million positive, an improvement of EUR3.3 million from the previous year.
STAR7 rebounds from eve losses and rises 7.9% at the open. The company reported that it has completed the final acquisition of the Consulting Automotive Aerospace Railway and STI businesses, both of which are in judicial liquidation.
In Asia, the Nikkei closed up 0.3 percent to 38,572.60, the Shanghai Composite finished in the green 0.3 percent to 3,236.03, and the Hang Seng closed up 1.2 percent to 19,522.89.
In New York last night, the Dow advanced 1.7 percent, the Nasdaq closed in the green by 2.5 percent, and the S&P 500 up 1.8 percent.
Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0289 versus USD1.0304 in Wednesday's European equities close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2210 from USD1.2257 last night.
Among commodities, boost on oil, with Brent crude worth USD78.95 per barrel from USD81.02 per barrel in Wednesday's European stock close. Gold trades at USD2,725.51 an ounce from USD2,680.37 an ounce Wednesday evening.
Thursday's macroeconomic calendar features Italy's trade balance at 1100 CET.
Overseas, at 1430 CET, eyes will be on US retail sales and jobless claims. At 1600 CET, natural gas stocks data will be released while the day will close with the Federal Reserve's balance sheet, due at 2230 CET.
Among the companies in the Piazza Affari, the results of I Grandi Viaggi and Saccheria F.lli Franceschetti are expected.
By Antonio Di Giorgio, Alliance News reporter
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