Lists up; Prysmian dictates pace on Mib.

(Alliance News) - On Friday, European markets paerto the upside as investors assessed new U.K. economic data and await the second U.S. inflation report this week, this time regfuarding producer prices.

The British economy grew slightly more than expected in November last year, according to data from the Office for National Statistics released Friday. The ONS said U.K. Gross Domestic Product grew 0.3 percent on a monthly basis in November after contracting 0.3 percent in October. According to the consensus cited by FXStreet, the market had expected growth of 0.2 percent.

On the Middle East war front, the war widens to Yemen. Overnight U.S. and British planes, ships, and submarines struck Sana'a and other Houthi-controlled cities in Yemen. This was in response to attacks by pro-Iranian rebels on commercial ships bound for Israel.

The Shiite group, which controls one-third of Yemen's territory where 80 percent of the population lives, described the attack as a "blatant aggression" and reiterated that it will continue to strike "Israeli ships or those bound for ports in occupied Palestine."

Thus, the FTSE Mib rose 0.8 percent to 30,486.66.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is advancing 0.7 percent, while Paris' CAC 40 rises 0.9 percent as does Frankfurt's DAX 40.

Among the smaller listings, the Mid-Cap is advancing 0.8 percent to 44,305.80, the Small-Cap is up 0.8 percent to 27,960.02, and Italy Growth is in the green 0.2 percent to 8,252.65.

On the Mib, Prysmian is advancing well, moving ahead 2.3% with new price at EUR40.71 after two bearish sessions.

Barclays raised Terna's target price to EUR8.00 from EUR7.60, with the stock opening in the green by 1.6 percent. On Tuesday it announced that it had successfully launched a EUR850 million, fixed-rate, single tranche bond issue. With a maturity of 7 years and maturing on January 17, 2031, it will pay an annual coupon of 3.50 percent per year and will be issued at a price of 99.385 percent, with a spread of 100 basis points over midswap.

Stellantis--up 0.4 percent--reported Friday that its venture capital fund, Stellantis Ventures, announced its participation as a strategic investor in Tiamat, a French company developing and commercializing sodium-ion battery technology.

Banca Generali--up 1.6 percent--reported Thursday that it posted inflows of EUR834 million in December, bringing the full-year figure to EUR5.86 billion, up 3 percent year-on-year.

Among the few bearish performers was Pirelli, which posted a minus 0.2 percent after eve's gain of 2.8 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, PharmaNutra advances 5.7%, turning upward after two sessions in a row closed down.

Credem - up 0.9 percent - announced Thursday evening that it had issued a new bond issue, aimed at institutional and professional investors, for

an amount of EUR500 million. The issue, in the "Social Covered Bond" format, will go to support social sustainability activities and highlights the group's commitment to ESG.

Double target price cut for Salvatore Ferragamo, which gives up 0.4 percent to EUR11.27 per share. Bank of America set it at EUR10.00 from EUR12.00, while Goldman Sachs places it at EUR11.80 from EUR13.60.

Negative note, among the few, also for Ariston Holding, which marks minus 0.5 percent, the subject of profit-taking after five sessions ended with a bullish candle.

On the Small-Cap, boost on Safilo Group, which is up 7.9% after two bearish sessions.

algoWatt advances more than 12 percent after two sessions of declines.

Tessellis, on the other hand, pushes ahead 3.3 percent after three bearish sessions and bringing the price to the EUR0.59 area.

Selling prevails, among many, on Caleffi, which brings the price bar down 5.9 percent, subject to profit taking after four upward sessions.

Itway, on the other hand, is giving up 3.5 percent, after two bullish sessions.

Among SMEs, Impianti advances more than 13 percent, bringing the price to EUR0.50. The stock, rated by only one analyst on MarketScreener, has a target price of EUR1.70, thus being vastly underpriced.

PharmaNutra's board of directors -- up 5.2 percent -- on Thursday approved the group's preliminary sales figures for fiscal year 2023, reporting consolidated net revenues of EUR100.2 million, up 21 percent from full-year 2022, when they were EUR82.7 million. Revenues in the Italian market increased 15 percent to EUR68 million from EUR59.2 million in 2022 while overseas grew 37 percent to EUR32.2 million from EUR23.5 million in 2022.

Portobello--declining 0.8 percent--reported Thursday that the board of directors has set the terms of the EUR8.0 million capital increase to be offered under option to shareholders. A total of 1.1 million new ordinary shares will be issued, with a subscription price of EUR7.00 per share.

In New York, the Dow closed just above par last night, the Nasdaq at perfect parity, and the S&P 500 gave up 0.1 percent.

Among the Asian exchanges, the Nikkei rallied 1.5 percent, the Hang Seng closed in the red by 0.4 percent, and the Shanghai Composite posted a minus 0.2 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0972 against USD1.0943 recorded at Thursday's European stock close, while the pound was worth USD1.2764 from USD1.2704 last night.

Brent crude is worth USD79.25 per barrel versus USD78.74 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,037.59 an ounce from USD2,019.55 an ounce last night.

On Friday's economic calendar, the U.S. major producer price index is expected at 1430 CET.

Among the companies listed in Piazza Affari, Unieuro's results are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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