(Alliance News) - On Friday's open, Piazza Affari does worse than IG futures forecast and falls below 33,900, as it awaits macroeconomic data on Italian industrial production and retail sales. Major European stock markets are without momentum at the start and in negative territory.

Thus, the FTSE Mib opened Friday down 0.5 percent to 33,804.86, the Mid-Cap is down 0.4 percent to 46,707.45, the Small-Cap is down 0.6 percent to 27,783.88, and Italy Growth gains 0.1 percent to 7,816.38.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is down 0.1 percent, Paris' CAC 40 is down 0.4 percent and Frankfurt's DAX 40 gives up 0.1 percent.

On the largest-capitalization list, best start-up performance for Pirelli, which rises 3.2 percent after it reported Thursday that it closed the first nine months with revenues of EUR5.18 billion, up just 0.5 percent year-on-year.

In the third quarter alone, the company posted revenues of EUR1.74 billion from EUR1.72 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Nexi rises 1.5 percent after it reported its results for the first nine months of the year in the morning, reporting total revenues of EUR2.57 billion, up 5.6 percent from EUR2.44 billion in the same period of 2023.

Diasorin did well, up 1.2%. Monrgan Stanley promoted the company's stock to 'equal weight', setting the target price at EUR100.

Unipol -- ahead 0.7% at the start -- reported Friday that it closed the first nine months of the year with a consolidated net profit of EUR724 million from EUR769 million in the first nine months of 2023.

In the green Monte dei Paschi di Siena, up 0.5 percent, after it announced Friday its first nine-month results showing a profit of EUR1.57 billion from EUR929 million in the same period 2023, up 69 percent.

Net interest income for the nine months was EUR1.77 billion from EUR1.69 billion and up 4.7 percent from 2023.

At the back of the list Iveco Group loses 5.3 percent despite reporting Thursday that it ended the third quarter with adjusted profit of EUR106 million, up from EUR96 million in the same period a year earlier. Adjusted diluted earnings per share were EUR0.39, up from EUR0.32 compared to the third quarter 2023.

Marshall Wace limited its short position on the automotive group to 1.12 percent from 1.08 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, top of the list at the start Technoprobe gains 2.9 percent. The company announced Wednesday that it has concluded its buyback program that began July 2.

During the program, the company bought back 5.0 million of its own ordinary shares, at an average price of EUR6.8889 per share, for a total value of EUR34.7 million.

Profit taking for Anima Holding - down 1.1 percent - after last sessions' gains on the news of the takeover bid by Banco BPM.

Datalogic loses 1.9 percent at startup reported Thursday that it closed the first nine months with a profit of EUR12.6 million from EUR10.8 million as of Sept. 30, 2023.

Fincantieri-losing 0.1 percent-announced Friday that it had finalized an agreement with Crystal to build a new high-end cruise ship.

Badly Banca Ifis gives up 3.4 percent. The bank announced Thursday that it closed the first nine months of the year with a consolidated net profit of EUR126.6 million from EUR124.7 million as of September 30, 2023.

For the period, net income stood at EUYR531.8 million from EUR512.4 million from the first nine months 2023.

At the bottom of the list Safilo Group -- down 3.7 percent -- after it reported Thursday that it closed the first nine months of the year with revenues of EUR757.4 million from EUR785.1 million as of Sept. 30, 2023.

Banca di Desio e della Brianza -- flat at EUR5.70 -- reported Thursday that it ended the nine months with consolidated net income of EUR116.4 million from EUR225.7 million as of Sept. 30, 2023.

On the Small-Cap, Banca Profilo gives up 1.6 percent after it reported that it closed the first nine months of the year with consolidated net revenues of EUR53.0 million, down 6.8 percent from EUR56.9 million as of Sept. 30, 2023.

Consolidated net income is also down, down 32 percent to EUR7.2 million from EUR10.6 million in the first nine months 2023.

Servizi Italia -- flat at EUR2.36 -- reported Thursday that it closed the first nine months of the year with a profit of EUR5.1 million, down from EUR5.8 million in the same period of 2023.

At the top of the list Netweek gains 7.1 percent.

Among SMEs, best performance for Eprcomunicazione, which soars 10 percent after it announced Friday that it won the tender for press office services for Jubilee 2025 activities and initiatives.

No trade for Eurocommercial Properties, which let it know Friday that it reprojected overall retail sales growth of 2.3 percent for the nine months to the end of September over 2023 and 3.1 percent for the third quarter alone.

In Asia, the Shanghai Composite gave up 0.5 percent to 3,452.30, the Nikkei rallied 0.3 percent to 39,500.37, and the Hang Seng gave up 1.1 percent to 20,728.19.

In New York on European night, the Dow closed fractionally in the red at 43,729.34, the Nasdaq was up 1.5 percent at 19,269.46, while the S&P 500 closed in the green by 0.7 percent at 5,973.10.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0768 from USD1.0811 on Thursday in closing European equities. The pound is worth USD1.2944 versus USD1.2998 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD74.86 per barrel from USD74.91 per barrel Thursday night. Gold trades at USD2,694.10 an ounce from USD2,697.96 an ounce last night.

Friday's macro calendar features Italian industrial production data at 1000 CET. An hour later, the EU leaders' summit will open and Italy's retail sales data will be released.

In the afternoon, at 1600 CET, come the results of the Michigan confidence survey while, at 1900 CET, eyes will be on Baker Hughes drilling rig numbers.

Among the companies in the Piazza Affari, the accounts of Piaggio, Recordati, Sanlorenzo, and Avio, among others, are expected.

By Antonio Di Giorgio, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com

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