(Alliance News) - The FTSE Mib on Thursday closed bullishly above 36,100 points, after three consecutive sessions of declines, as trading rooms closely follow developments of new initiatives from the U.S. policy under President Trump, including warnings on the duty market.
Statistical findings include that the consumer confidence index in the euro area improved slightly to minus 14.2 in January, up 0.3 points and in line with market expectations, according to preliminary estimates from the European Commission released Thursday.
Consumers remain optimistic that the European Central Bank will continue to cut rates this year.
Investors have already discounted a reduction in the deposit rate from 3.0 percent on Jan. 30, with expectations for the benchmark rate to fall to 2.0 percent by the end of the year. Inflation, which stood at 2.4 percent in December, is expected to slow to the ECB's 2.0 percent target by the middle of the year, largely due to a weak economic outlook dampening price pressures.
Thus, the FTSE Mib closed 0.7 percent up at 36,112.84, the Mid-Cap finished just below par at 49,007.67, the Small-Cap closed up 0.3 percent at 28,154.96, and Italy Growth closed 0.1 percent down at 7,783.28.
London's FTSE 100 picked up 0.2 percent, while Paris' CAC 40 advanced 0.7 percent as did Frankfurt's DAX 40.
On the Mib, strength on UniCredit, which advanced 2.5 percent to EUR43.52 per share, rearing its head after two bearish sessions.
Strength also on Snam, with the stock moving ahead 2.1%, on its third bearish session. Of note, on the stock DBR raised its target price to EUR5.70 from EUR5.50 with a 'buy' recommendation.
Banco BPM, SACE and Alfasigma announced the finalization of an agreement in favor of Alfasigma for the granting of two financing lines worth a total of EUR200 million. In recent years, Alfasigma, an international pharmaceutical company founded in Italy and present in more than 100 countries around the world, has embarked on an ambitious plan to accelerate its growth and transformation and its global expansion. Banco BPM stock closed in the green by 0.4 percent.
Hera -- in the red by 0.8 percent -- reported Thursday that its board of directors had reviewed its 2024 pre-cash figures 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 percent, structural growth in EBITDA to EUR1.7 billion, and profit growth of about 6 percent on average per year.
Rear-enders also for Ferrari, with the Cavallino stock leaving 1.9 percent on the parterre at EUR410.20 per share.
On the Mid-Cap, Safilo closed with a bullish candle 2.9 percent at EUR1.00 per share, on its seventh bullish session and with results expected on Tuesday.
Newlat Food, on the other hand, rallied 3.1% to EUR12.00 per share, breaking a three-session bearish mini-trend.
De' Longhi's buyback plan continues steadily, closing ahead 0.1 percent. Lastly, the company announced Wednesday evening that it had bought back 62,416 of its own ordinary shares between January 16 and 17, for a total value of EUR2.0 million.
Juventus Football Club -- down 0.9 percent -- announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain to acquire, on a temporary basis until June 30, the rights to the sports performance of footballer Kolo Muani Randal for a consideration of EUR1.0 million, plus ancillary charges of EUR2.6 million.
On the Small-Cap, strength on Aquafil, which moved ahead 6.1 percent, after the flat session on the eve of the day and with price in the EUR1.39 per share area.
Avio, on the other hand, picked up 6.1 percent, with new price in the EUR16.80 per share area.
Among the negative notes - several on the list - Somec left 2.4 percent on the parterre at EUR10.00. During the session the stock updated its 52-week low at EUR9.84.
Olidata, on the other hand, gave up 4.6 percent to EUR0.2380, continuing its long negative streak.
GPI -- down 0.8 percent -- on Thursday made it known that it had been awarded the project for the new Health Information System. As the company explained in a note, the project will involve all of South Tyrol's health districts-Bozen, Brixen, Bruneck and Meran-serving more than half a million citizens. The contract, with a total value of about EUR16 million and a duration of 48 months, includes a share of about EUR13 million reserved for GPI.
Among SMEs, good session for Bifire, which closed ahead 4.8 percent at EUR2.62 per share.
iVision Tech - ahead more than 14 percent - reported Thursday that it has been granted a patent for iSee, a wearable assistive technology designed for the blind and visually impaired.
SosTravel.com - in the green by 0.9 percent - announced Thursday that it had signed a business agreement with Veratour, a leader in the resort and tailor-made tourism industry. The agreement, part of the sales channel diversification strategy launched in 2024, will allow Veratour customers who purchase products from the GO WEST and GO EAST catalogs through a travel agency to take advantage of the Lost Luggage Concierge service, renamed by Veratour as "Baggage no problem."
ESI - down 0.3 percent - reported Thursday that it has signed a contract with a major nursery company to build a photovoltaic plant in the municipality of Pontinia, in the province of Latina. The contract has a total value of EUR680,000.
In New York, the Dow is advancing 0.6 percent, the Nasdaq is in the red 0.1 percent, and the S&P 500 is advancing 0.2 percent.
Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0401 against USD1.0421 in Wednesday's European stock close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2334 from USD1.2323 on Wednesday evening.
Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD78.24 per barrel from USD79.10 per barrel at Wednesday's European stock close. Gold trades at USD2,750.21 an ounce from USD2,758.73 an ounce last night.
On Friday's economic calendar, Japan's inflation figure will arrive at 0030 CET, while the Bank of Japan's interest rate decision will be announced at 0400 CET.
Between 0915 CET and 1000 CET, the manufacturing and services PMIs from France and Germany will be released in order, with the Eurozone PMI coming last.
The same data will be released, between 1025 CET and 1030 CET, for the United Kingdom.
At 1100 CET, ECB number one Christine Lagarde will give a speech instead.
From the US, at 1545 CET it will be the turn of the manufacturing and services PMIs. At 1900 CET, the Baker Hughes plant report will be released instead.
At 2130 CET, as every Friday, the COT Report will be released instead.
Among the companies, no special announcements are expected.
By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter
Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com
Copyright 2025 Alliance News IS Italian Service Ltd. All rights reserved.