(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari continued to gain ground in mid-session Thursday, with the blue chip index nearing 36,000 points at the halfway mark.

The FTSE Mib is up 0.4 percent to 35,996.55, the Mid-Cap is up 0.2 percent to 49,099.00, the Small-Cap is up 0.3 percent to 28,139.50 while the Italy Growth rises slightly to 7,793.88.

London's FTSE 100 is down 0.1 percent to 8,540.28, Paris' CAC 40 rises 0.3 percent to 7,857.32 and Frankfurt's DAX 40 gains 0.3 percent to 21,316.54.

On the highest-capitalization list in Piazza Affari, banks lead, with BPER Banca up 1.5 percent, UniCredit up 1.4 percent, and Banca Popolare di Sondrio up 1.0 percent. Unipol does best of all, up 1.6%.

Hera also did well, up 0.2%. The utility reported Thursday that its board of directors reviewed its 2024 pre-consolidation data and approved its business plan to 2028, which calls for gross five-year investments of EUR5.1 billion, a return on net invested capital at 9.5%, structural growth in EBITDA to EUR1.7 billion, and earnings growth of about 6% on average per year.

The dividend is expected to grow 21 percent--up to 17 cents per share--and average annual yield of about 5 percent, with average annual total return to shareholders at 11 percent.

Net debt to EBITDA ratio is expected to remain stable below 3x over plan arc, projected at 2.8x in 2028.

Intesa Sanpaolo - up 0.8 percent - was recognized as the only Italian bank, first in Europe and second globally among the world's 100 most sustainable listed companies by Corporate Knights' ranking, presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Saipem - up 1.5 percent - announced that shareholders Eni - in the red by 0.4 percent - and CDP Equity have tacitly renewed the shareholders' agreement regarding a 25 percent stake in its share capital, Il Sole 24 Ore reported Thursday.

Snam -- up 1.2 percent -- announced Wednesday that it had approved its new strategic plan to 2029, which features the largest investments in the company's history and amounts to EUR12.4 billion. Looking at the financials, the company expects a RAB of 6.4 percent thanks to new investments, the effect of inflation and the integration of assets such as Edison Stoccaggio, the Ravenna FSRU and CCS assets.

Telecom Italia--up 0.1 percent--reported Wednesday that the board of directors ascertained positive developments in negotiations with the Ministry of Economy and Retelit regarding the bid for Sparkle.

In the red was Stellantis, which gave up 0.4 percent after it announced the extension of the layoff at its Atessa plant, where it produces commercial vehicles.

The John Elkann-led company also announced significant changes to its production plans in the US. As Milano Finanza writes Thursday, the plan calls for the creation of 1,500 jobs and the reopening of the plant in Belvidere, Illinois, to produce a new mid-size pickup truck by 2027.

On the Mid-Cap, Newlat Food leads the gains, up 4.3 percent at mid-session, albeit with trading volumes lower than the list average.

BFF Bank drops 0.6 percent. On the stock it is reported that Marshall Wace cut its short position up to 0.48% from 0.55% previously.

Brembo - up 0.1% - signed a 10-year agreement with Axpo Polska, a subsidiary of the Swiss Axpo Group, to supply 1 TWh of electricity from renewable sources destined for its production plants in Poland.

De' Longhi--up 0.1 percent--reported Wednesday that it purchased 62,416 of its own ordinary shares between Jan. 16 and Jan. 17, for a total consideration of EUR2.0 million.

On the Small-Cap, Netweek rises 24% and the stock is currently suspended for excess volatility. Shares traded exceed 1.3 million.

Fidia gives up 5.5 percent, recording the worst performance in its basket.

Bestbe Holding's stock falls 4.2 percent. The company issued 61,793 new shares with the same characteristics and rights as the shares already outstanding, to bondholder Tenet Securities, resulting from the partial conversion of a total of 18 bonds.

Among SMEs, iVision Tech soars 18 percent after being awarded a patent for iSee, a wearable assistive technology designed for the blind and visually impaired.

Grifal - up 0.6 percent - reported Thursday that preliminary consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2024 amounted to EUR37.7 million, "confirming the 2023 figure thanks to a second half of the year up 2 percent compared to the first half and almost 4 percent compared to the corresponding period of 2023," the statement said.

Renovalo - flat at EUR2.28 per share - announced Wednesday that it has signed a binding agreement to take over the entire capital of GI General Impianti Srl, a company active in the construction of civil and industrial technological plants on its own and for third parties. Renovalo will take over 60 percent of GI from shareholders Angelo Finelli, Gerardo Somma and Carmine D'Amelio, for EUR520,000 paid today plus 70 percent of the transfer price net of funds paid Wednesday, and the remaining 30 percent will be paid in four half-yearly installments.

Xenia Hôtellerie Solution - up 3.7 percent - on Wednesday presented its business plan to 2028 and its preliminary results for 2024, which see turnover for the year at EUR57.2 million, registering a 14 percent increase from EUR50.2 million in 2023. Ebitda was EUR2.5 million, down 46 percent from the previous year, a result impacted by extraordinary costs related to M&A and corporate reorganization.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed up 1.6 percent at 39,646.25, the Shanghai Composite finished 0.9 percent in the red at 3,213.62, and the Hang Seng fell 0.4 percent to 19,700.56.

In New York last night, the Dow advanced 0.3 percent, the Nasdaq closed in the green by 1.3 percent, and the S&P 500 up 0.6 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0396 versus USD1.0421 in Wednesday's European stock close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2299 from USD1.2323 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD79.17 per barrel from USD79.10 per barrel at Wednesday's European stock close. Gold trades at USD2,761.51 an ounce from USD2,758.73 an ounce last night.

On Thursday's economic calendar from the US, data on unemployment claims are due at 1430 CET, while at 1700 CET US President Donald Trump will give a speech.

At 1800 CET, from the US, the EIA report and Cushing's inventory, while at 2230 CET it will be the turn of the Federal Reserve's weekly balance sheet.

By Giuseppe Fabio Ciccomascolo, Alliance News senior reporter

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