(Alliance News) - European stock markets are headed for a downbeat opening Monday -- a quiet day on the macro front -- extending global losses caused by a wave of profit-taking that has pervaded markets, with technology stocks taking the brunt.

Investors, meanwhile, are also choosing caution ahead of key U.S. inflation data, which could influence the Federal Reserve's monetary policy outlook tomorrow.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is expected to fall 155.0 points or 0.5 percent, after closing Friday in the fractional red at 33,403.80.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is expected to open down 30.1 points or 0.4 percent, Frankfurt's DAX 40 is expected down 80.0 points or 0.5 percent while Paris' CAC 40 is given in the red 32.6 points or 0.4 percent.

"The decline in U.S. yields and the dollar did not stimulate the appetite of the major U.S. indices," comments Ipek Ozkardeskaya, Senior Analyst at Swissquote Bank. "The S&P500 touched another record high on Friday but closed the session down 0.65 percent, while the Nasdaq 100 fell more than 1.50 percent. Technology stocks recorded the largest weekly outflow."

"Elsewhere, inflation in China rose for the first time in six months thanks to increased spending for the Lunar New Year holiday, but producer prices fell 2.7 percent. Japanese markets fell as the USDJPY dropped below 147 on growing speculation that the BoJ may abandon negative rates as early as this month," the analyst concluded.

Among Italy's smaller listings on Friday, Mid-Cap gives up 0.1 percent to 46,421.47, Small-Cap loses 0.7 percent to 27,512.75, and Italy Growth ends down 0.3 percent to 8,103.44.

Back in Milan, on the Mib, Telecom Italia did best of all, in the green by 4.8 percent. The company reported Wednesday that its board of directors reviewed 2023 figures, confirming preliminaries, which saw revenues of EUR16.30 billion from EUR15.79 billion in 2022.

Ebitda amounted to EUR5.71 billion from EUR5.35 billion in 2022, with a margin of 35.0 percent from 33.9 percent a year earlier.

Iveco Group, up 2.5 percent, also rose, while Amplifon, up 2.7 percent, closes the podium. reported Thursday that it ended 2023 with a profit of EUR165.8 million, down 9.5 percent from EUR183.3 million a year earlier, due to higher depreciation and amortization and higher financial expenses.

The board also proposed dividend of EUR0.29 per share, in line with the dividend paid in 2022, with a pay-out of 41.9 percent of consolidated net income per share.

Stellantis -- in the red by 0.3 percent -- announced Thursday that it plans a multibillion-dollar investment in South America.

The automaker, which is headquartered in the Netherlands, announced Thursday that it will invest EUR5.6 billion in the region from 2025 to 2030.

On the bottom ranks Azimut, in the red by 5.2 percent. The company reported Thursday that it ended 2023 with an adjusted net profit of EUR454 million from EUR402 million in 2022 and up 13 percent.

The board of directors resolved to pay a dividend of EUR1.40 per share from one for EUR1.30 in 2022.

Total revenues stood at EUR1.31 billion from EUR1.29 billion as of Dec. 31, 2022.

Among the bearish, UniCredit closed down 1.9 percent after Italy's privacy watchdog fined the company EUR2.8 million for a data breach case in 2018 that affected thousands of customers and former customers.

The bank responded that it will appeal the decision in court, adding that no bank data was compromised and that the incident was immediately resolved.

On the cadet segment, UnipolSai Assicurazioni gave up 0.1 percent after it let it be known on Friday that rating agency Fitch raised its restricted Tier 1 rating from BB to BB+.

Danieli -- in the green by 4.9 percent -- reported Thursday that it closed the first half of the year 2023/2024 on Dec. 31 with a profit of EUR98.8 million, up 33 percent from EUR74.1 million in the same period last year.

Operating income amounted to EUR2.07 billion from EUR1.87 billion as of Dec. 31, 2022. "The results for the first half of 2023/2024 confirm forecasts of declining profitability in steel production and improvement in steel plant design and supply. The two activities continue to offset each other in the 'up and down' of economic cycles, the company points out."

Among the smallcaps, Tesmec -- in the black by 0.2 percent -- reported on Friday that it closed 2023 with a loss of EUR2.7 million, which compares with a profit of EUR7.9 million in 2022, due to "higher financial components of about EUR14 million between interest and exchange rate changes," the company points out in a note.

Revenues increased to EUR252.0 million from EUR245.0 million in 2022.

Datalogic rose 1.9 percent after it announced Friday that it had sold its entire stake in Informatics Holdings.

Informatics is a company active in the marketing and distribution of software products and solutions dedicated to small and medium-sized companies based in Plano, Texas. Datalogic's stake passes to a subsidiary of U.S. private equity firm Renovo Capital for USD34 million.

BasicNet gave up 2.3 percent after it reported Friday that it approved its 2023 consolidated financial statements and draft operating budget as of December 31 reporting a profit of EUR24.4 million from EUR30 million in 2022, down about 19 percent.

Vianini - in the black by 1.3 percent - reported Thursday that it closed 2023 with revenues of EUR10.3 million from EUR14.3 million as of Dec. 31, 2022.

Among SMEs, Relatech rose 1.5 percent after announcing Thursday that, through EFA Automazione part of the Relatech Group, it has signed a business cooperation agreement for the distribution in Italy of IO-Link Master Fastus modules produced by Optex FA of Japan.

Promotica closed flat. The company announced Thursday that it has launched its first loyalty marketing campaign in Poland, at the Stokrotka supermarket chain.

Matica Fintec -- in the red by 1.2 percent -- reported Thursday that it closed 2023 with revenues of EUR22.6 million, up 16 percent from EUR19.5 million in 2022.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed down 2.2 percent at 38,820.49, the Hang Seng rose 1.3 percent to 16,567.64 and the Shanghai Composite gave up 0.7 percent to 3,068.46.

In New York on Friday evening, the Dow closed down 0.2 percent to 38,722.69, the Nasdaq gave up 1.2 percent to 16,085.11 and the S&P 500 finished down 0.7 percent to 5,123.69.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0943 against USD1.0948 recorded in Friday's European stock close, while the pound was worth USD1.2847 from USD1.2860 on Friday evening.

Brent crude is worth USD81.90 per barrel versus USD81.76 per barrel at Friday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD2,179.43 an ounce from USD2,181.30 an ounce Friday night.

Monday's macroeconomic calendar includes at 0900 CET Switzerland's SECO economic precision and industrial sales in Spain.

At 1100 CET the Eurogroup meeting is held.

On the bond front, French BTF auctions with 3-, 6- and 12-month maturities are expected at 1455 CET, while from overseas at 1730 CET it is the turn of the US Treasury bond auctions with 3- and 6-month maturities.

Among the companies listed in Piazza Affari, the results of Assicurazioni Generali, A2A, Cementir Holding and Leonardo, among others, are expected.

By Chiara Bruschi, Alliance News reporter

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