(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari rose moderately in mid-day trading Wednesday after data from Istat and the European Commission showed improvements in Italy and Eurozone consumer confidence, respectively.

Consumer confidence in Italy rose to 103.6 points from 101.6 points in October while the market had expected a less marked improvement to 102.0 points.

In November, the business climate indicator improved slightly in the Eurozone to 93.8 from the revised 93.5 in October and doing better than expectations of 93.7, according to data released Wednesday by the European Commission.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is up 0.8 percent to 29,598.77, the Mid-Cap rises 0.4 percent to 41,912.05, the Small-Cap gains 0.6 percent to 26,139.74 while Italy Growth is slightly above par at 7,890.22.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is up 0.4 percent to 7,281.84, London's FTSE 100 gives up 0.1 percent to 7,448.18 while Frankfurt's DAX 40 rises 1.0 percent to 16,144.88.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Saipem continues to climb, up 1.3%, albeit at a slower pace than at the start. The stock is driven by news that it has been awarded two offshore contracts -- one in Guyana and the other in Brazil -- worth about USD1.9 billion.

Banca Monte dei Paschi also notes positively, rising 4.5 percent. On MPS stock, it is reported that Marshall Wace cut its short position to 0.74% from 0.83%.

Iveco Group gives up 0.2 percent after announcing Monday that the European Investment Bank has granted financing of up to EUR500 million to contribute to electrification, efficiency and safety in the transport sector through investment in research, development and innovation.

In addition, the company announced that Iveco Bus has been chosen as the main supplier of the school transportation program in Brazil. The company will supply up to 7,100 vehicles over two years, from 2024 to 2025, worth BRL3.1 billion, about EUR580 million at current exchange rates.

Mediobanca - in the red by 0.1 percent - announced Tuesday that it had completed the placement of a new senior preferred bond with a 6-year term maturing in February 2030 and a call option after the fifth, for a total amount of EUR500 million.

Doing well, then Stellantis, which gains 2.9 percent, and STMicroelectronics, up 2.1 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, reverses course Lottomatica Group, now down 0.6 percent, after it announced that it has completed the pricing of a total amount of EUR500 million of its senior secured floating-rate bonds maturing in 2030 at an issue price of 99.5 percent, with a coupon equal to the sum of the three-month Euribor rate - subject to a floor of 0 percent - plus 4.00 percent per annum.

The offering is scheduled to close on December 14.

Maire Tecnimont - in the red by 0.6 percent - on Tuesday signaled that it had made full early redemption of the bond to 2024, resulting in the delisting of the related bonds from the markets organized and managed by Borsa Italiana and the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

The redemption price of EUR165.3 million corresponds to 100 percent of the nominal amount of the bond, together with interest accrued since the last coupon payment date.

Fashion retreats, with Brunello Cucinelli falling 0.8 percent. Also down is Salvatore Ferragamo, in the red by 0.1 percent, while Tod's is bucking the trend, up 1.5 percent.

On the Small-Cap, KME Group - in the red by 1.9% - reported Tuesday that its subsidiary KME has finalized the closing of the agreement signed on November 9 with the pool of lending institutions with an increase in the amount of the lines by an additional EUR50 million and thus for a total amount up to EUR460 million.

At the same time the closing of the outstanding factoring lines for EUR376.5 million was also completed.

Olidata falls 2.6 percent. The company signed an agreement with Snam worth EUR25 million. The deal provides for Olidata's support-through its Sferanet controlalta-for most of its Data Center, Data Management and Security and Network Security components, and Snam's option to purchase according to its own plans.

Gefran gains 1.7 percent, with the company proceeding steadily with its buyback program. Most recently, it disclosed that it purchased its own ordinary shares - between Nov. 20 and Nov. 24 - for a total value of about EUR81,000.

Among SMEs, Circle - flat at EUR6.40 per share - announced Monday evening the approval by FILSE on behalf of Regione Liguria of the "TULIP" project, an acronym for Terminal and mUltimodal Logistic Innovations for the Port and hinterland environment. The 18-month project awards Circle a grant of about EUR220,000 and will have a positive impact on several logistics sectors, starting with port terminals and inland nodes.

Destination Italia - on a parity basis - reported Tuesday that the group has exceeded EUR6.5 million in terms of its order book referring to tourist bookings of departures that will take place in the year 2024, marking an increase of more than 70 percent compared to the same period in the year 2022.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed Wednesday down 0.3 percent to 33,321.22, the Shanghai Composite gave up 0.6 percent to 3,021.69, and the Hang Seng lost 2.1 percent to 16,993.44.

In New York on Tuesday evening, the Dow closed up 0.2 percent to 35,416.98, the Nasdaq rose 0.3 percent to 14,281.76 while the S&P 500 gained 0.1 percent to 4,554.89.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0971 against USD1.1002 recorded in Tuesday's European stock close while the pound is worth USD1.2688 from USD1.2703 on Tuesday evening.

Brent crude is worth USD82.53 per barrel versus USD81.99 per barrel at Tuesday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,037.90 an ounce from USD2,035.78 an ounce on Tuesday evening.

Wednesday's macroeconomic calendar includes, at 1300 CET from the US will come the mortgage market report, while from Germany will come the inflation figure at 1400 CET from Destatis.

At 1430 CET are coming the US GDP, at 1630 CET oil stocks, EIA report and Cushing's inventory. At 1945 there will instead be a speech by FOMC member Mester.

By Giuseppe Fabio Ciccomascolo, Alliance News senior reporter

Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2023 Alliance News IS Italian Service Ltd. All rights reserved.