(Alliance News) - European stock markets opened in an uptrend Thursday after three consecutive sessions of losses. Traders -- on a day lacking in macro data -- awaited Germany's key inflation rate expected later in the day.

Preliminary inflation data in Spain were in line with expectations, with the annual rate rising to 2.4 percent thanks to last year's low base effects.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is marking a 0.5 percent rise to 33,237.55.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is advancing 0.2 percent, while Frankfurt's DAX 40 is up 0.6 percent as is Paris' CAC 40.

Among the smaller lists, the Mid-Cap advances 0.4 percent to 46,856.09, the Small-Cap is up 0.5 percent to 27,052.55 while Italy Growth is just below par at 7,663.79.

On the highest-capitalization list in Piazza Affari, Nexi is rising 3.1 percent, with price in the EUR5.56 per share area, pointing to its third session to close with an uptrend.

Stellantis, on the other hand, is advancing 1.2 percent, after a 4.8 percent red finish in the previous session.

Eni-slightly above parity-announced Thursday that it has signed contracts with the Ivory Coast's Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Energy to acquire four new offshore exploration blocks. The signing consolidates Eni's presence in the country and took place in the city of Abidjan.

Banco BPM -- in the green by 0.3 percent -- is considering a strategic raise on its ongoing takeover bid for Anima Holding -- in the green by 0.4 percent on the MidCap -- in response to the EUR10.10 billion exchange offer advanced by UniCredit Spa, Milano Finanza explained Thursday. The current offer, set at EUR6.20 per share with a premium of 8.5 percent, could be revised upward to increase the value of the group and push UniCredit to improve the terms of the OPS. This move, which enjoys the favor of Banco BPM's strong shareholders, aims to put pressure on the group led by Andrea Orcel, given that changes to the takeover bid for Anima are allowed by the terms of the OPS.

UniCredit -- up 0.5 percent -- let it know Wednesday that rating agency Moody's confirmed the bank's senior preferred unsecured debt and long-term deposit ratings at Baa1, with a stable outlook. According to the agency, should the acquisition of Banco BPM be finalized, UniCredit's creditworthiness would remain essentially stable.

On the MidCap, Digital Value advances 3.9 percent, in its third bullish session.

LU-VE, on the other hand, marks a plus 1.7 percent,rearing its head again after two bearish candle sessions.

Webuild - in the green by 1.1% - consolidates its position in Saudi Arabia, where it has been operating since 1966 with a pipeline of projects worth a total of more than EUR30.00 billion and contracts already acquired for EUR7.00 billion, Corriere della Sera reports Thursday.

Acea - flat at EUR17.86 - consolidates its position in the Italian water sector with the awarding of the tender for the management of the integrated water service in the Ato Ovest Provincia di Imperia area, with an estimated value of over EUR1.0 billion. As reported by Il Sole 24 Ore in Thursday's edition, through Acea Molise, a wholly owned subsidiary of the group, Acea will acquire 48 percent of the newly formed mixed public-private company Rivieracqua, which holds the concession until 2042.

On the SmallCap, Unidata advances 3.4% to EUR2.75, following a 4.0% loss in the previous session.

Softlab, meanwhile, advances 3.2%, reversing course after two bearish sessions.

Conafi, on the other hand, gives up 6.0% to EUR0.1890, after two bullish sessions.

Rear-ends also for Pininfarina, which gives up 3.2%to EUR0.664, updating a new low in the 52-week time frame.

Among SMEs, Espe advances 6.2% to EUR2.93 per share. The stock is approaching doubling its market cap in 2024, up more than 95%.

First Capital - still not trading with price at EUR15.70 - reported that its subsidiary First SICAF has acquired a significant stake in ErreDue, amounting to 6.97 percent of the ordinary shares admitted to trading and 3.2 percent of the share capital.

Websolute - flat at EUR1.55 - announced on Wednesday that it had approved the launch of a treasury share program with a maximum value of EUR500,000 and a duration of 18 months as of today's meeting.

Simone - unchanged at EUR1.87 - announced Wednesday that it had approved the issuance of a non-convertible, non-subordinated, unlisted, denominated simple bond for a maximum amount of EUR1.5 million. The bond named "Simone S.p.A. TV Eu6M + 2.35% 2024 2030" will be reserved in full and exclusively for a single underwriter and is aimed at concluding strategic extraordinary finance transactions for business development, in line with market opportunities and programmatic growth lines declared during the IPO.

In New York, the Dow closed 0.3 percent in the red, the Nasdaq down 0.6 percent while the S&P 500 closed down 0.4 percent.

Among Asian exchanges, the Nikkei rallied 0.6 percent, the Shanghai Composite lost 0.4 percent while the Hang Seng is giving up 1.2 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0540 from USD1.0562 on Wednesday in closing European equities. The pound is worth USD1.2652 versus USD1.2679 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD72.55 per barrel from USD72.52 per barrel last night. Gold trades at USD2,641.04 an ounce from USD2,666.39 an ounce last night.

On Thursday's economic calendar, while U.S. stock exchanges will be closed for Thanksgiving, at 1000 CET in Italy the consumer and business confidence data is released, along with German inflation and in the Eurozone the M3 money supply data.

Again in Italy, at 1100 CET, it is the turn of the publication of producer prices and in the Eurozone of consumer and business confidence.

At 1400 CET, the German inflation data from Destatis is expected.

Among companies listed on the Stock Exchange, no particular announcements are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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