(Alliance News) - European stock markets--confirming futures trends before the bell rang--opened higher Friday, thanks to improved market sentiment, although investors remain cautious about further escalation in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

On Thursday, Russia fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at a Ukrainian military facility in response to Ukraine's use of U.S.-and U.K.-supplied weapons to strike Russia.

The FTSE Mib is therefore marking a 0.4 percent rise to 33,425.58.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is advancing 0.6 percent, Paris' CAC 40 is advancing 0.4 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is advancing 0.5 percent instead.

Mid-Cap is advancing 0.4 percent to 46,755.83, Small-Cap is advancing 0.2 percent to 27,016.34, and Italy Growth is giving up 0.1 percent to 7,725.75.

On the Mib, STMicroelectronics has led the price up 1.9%, now at EUR23.56 per share, after 0.6% green in the previous session.

Eni, on the other hand, is in the green by 0.9 percent. Ithaca Energy, an oil & gas company formed from the merger of Eni's U.K. and North Sea assets, has announced an extraordinary dividend of USD200 million, or about GBP160 million, to be distributed on December 20, Milano Finanza reported Friday. This is the first dividend after the business combination with Eni, which holds a 38.7 percent stake and will receive about USD193 million. In total, Ithaca will distribute about USD500 million in 2024.

Prysmian -- up 1.5 percent -- announced Thursday that it has successfully placed a EUR1.50 billion dual-tranche unsecured senior bond issue that is expected to be rated 'BBB-' by S&P Global. The issue consists of a EUR850 million tranche with a four-year maturity on November 28, 2028, a fixed annual coupon of 3.625 percent and an issue price of 99.8, and a second EUR650 million tranche with a seven-year maturity on November 28, 2031, a fixed annual coupon of 3.875 percent and an issue price of 99.5.

Telecom Italia -- up 0.6 percent -- announced Thursday a EUR130.0 million investment to expand TIM Enterprise in the cloud and build a new data center near Rome, to be operational by 2026. The project, included in the 2024-2026 business plan, will increase the group's total capacity to 125 MW, confirming its leadership in the Italian colocation market.

Interpump Group -- in the green by 1.0 percent -- announced Thursday that it has signed a corporate power purchase agreement with Statkraft Markets GmbH for a 10-year supply of power generated 100 percent from renewable sources. Under the agreement, starting in January 2025, the group will purchase 20 GWh of power produced in Italy annually at a pre-determined, fixed price for the entire term of the agreement

On the cadet segment, Pharmanutra is driving up 3.5 percent to EUR55.60 per share, rebounding after six bearish sessions.

Ariston Holding, on the other hand, is advancing 2.5 percent, with price in the EUR3.65 area, breaking the four-session bearish streak.

El.En., on the other hand, is giving up 1.1 percent to EUR12.14 per share, on the heels of eve's 0.1 percent decline.

Reply, on the other hand, is contracting 2.1 percent to EUR151.60. Of note, on the stock Beremberg raised its target price to EUR160.00 from EUR144.00 per share.

On the Small-Cap segment, Abitare In advances 6.3% after declining 0.5% on the eve.

PLC - in the green by 1.3% - reported Thursday that its subsidiary PLC Service Srl has signed an agreement with Sonnedix Italia Operation Srl for the management of O&M services on a photovoltaic plant located in the municipalities of Augusta and Melilli, Sicily, with a total nominal capacity of more than 80 MWp.

Piquadro -- up 1.0 percent -- reported Thursday that it closed the first half of its financial year with revenues up to EUR87.8 million from EUR85.9 million in the same period last year. Pre-tax profit increased to EUR7.1 million from EUR5.9 million while net income rose to EUR5.0 million from EUR4.1 million.

IGD SIIQ -- down 0.5 percent -- reported Thursday that its board of directors reviewed and approved its 2025-2027 business plan, which forecasts Net Rental Income at the end of the period with a like-for-like increase of about 16 percent over the expected figure at the end of 2024. Ebitda from operations is expected to be around EUR98 million with organic growth of 16% compared to the figure expected at the end of 2024. Funds From Operations are projected at EUR48 million, 41 percent compared to EUR34 million expected at the end of 2024.

Softlab, on the other hand, is giving up 3.0 percent, subject to profit taking after nearly 12 percent collected in the previous two sessions.

Among SMBs, iVision Tech is advancing 7.8 percent after a 1.6 percent red on eve.

Pharmacosmo, on the other hand, is picking up 7.6 percent, rebounding after three sessions of significant declines.

Edil San Felice - in the green by 1.3 percent - announced on Friday that it has been awarded routine maintenance work on the Cassino Direction VI Section in a major contract from Autostrade per l'Italia worth EUR12.1 million.

First Capital - flat at EUR16.00 - reported Thursday that total net asset value as of September 30 amounted to EUR73.1 million, of which EUR2.0 million was attributable to minority interests, corresponding to EUR24.4 per outstanding share.

In New York on European night, the Dow Jones closed down 1.1 percent, the Nasdaq closed up fractionally, and the S&P 500 rallied 0.5 percent.

Among Asian exchanges, the Nikkei picked up 0.7 percent, the Hang Seng closed down 1.9 percent, while the Shanghai Composite left 3.1 percent on the parterre.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0470 from USD1.0509 on Thursday in closing European equities. The pound is worth USD1.2561 versus USD1.2614 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD74.35 per barrel from USD74.09 per barrel last night. Gold trades at USD2,692.22 an ounce from USD2,671.60 an ounce last night.

Friday afternoon's macroeconomic calendar from the US includes preliminary PMIs at 1545 CET. At 1900 CET, focus on the report on drilling rigs in the US by Baker Hughes.

Among the companies in the Square, DHH will release interim results.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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