(Alliance News) - On Friday, major European stock markets continued in negative territory -- except for the FTSE100 -- following the release of data on the Eurozone producer price index and those on services activity in the Old Continent's major economies.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is in the red by 0.5 percent at 26,978.66, the Mid-Cap is fractional green at 44,466.85, the Small-Cap is in the green by 0.3 percent at 30,044.47, while Italy Growth is in the green by 0.5 percent at 9,588.11.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 gives up 0.3 percent, London's FTSE 100 is in the green by 0.2 percent, while Frankfurt's DAX 40 is down 0.6 percent.

In macroeconomic news, Italian private sector activity returned to growth in January, helped by a good boost from the services sector. In fact, Italy's services PMI rose to 51.2 in January -- in line with estimates -- from 49.9 in December, crossing the 50.0-point threshold separating contraction from expansion.

As S&P Global explains, the tertiary companies surveyed linked this modest increase in activity to an increase in the flow of new orders, up for the second consecutive month. The growth was strong, the highest since May 2022, and was linked to improving demand.

In the Eurozone, in early 2023 and after six months of contraction, the economy indicated a marginal expansion.

Thus, for the first time since June 2022, the Eurozone's seasonally adjusted composite manufacturing PMI index in January marked an expansion, according to data released by S&P on Friday. At 50.3, up from 49.3 in December, it indicated a gradual recovery for the third consecutive month.

Overall, the headline index indicated marginal growth in Eurozone private sector activity.

Finally, in December 2022, industrial producer prices increased by 1.1 percent in the Eurozone and 1.2 percent in the EU, compared with the previous month. Compared to December 2021, prices rose 24.6 percent in the eurozone and 25.2 percent in the EU.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Pirelli is at the top, in the green by 2.3 percent, followed by the banking sector with UniCredit still grinding out gains after the accounts and rising 0.6 percent and Intesa Sanpaolo in the green by 0.7 percent on the day when it is expected to publish its own.

Ferrari gives up 2.6 percent the day after it has preliminary consolidated results for the fourth quarter and twelve months ended Dec. 31, 2022, reporting a full-year net profit of EUR939 million, up 13 percent from a year earlier when it amounted to EUR833 million. As for fourth-quarter net income, this stands at EUR221 million in 2022 from EUR214 million in fourth-quarter 2021.

CNH Industrial -- down 1.4 percent -- on Thursday released its fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 results, its first as a player in Agriculture and Construction, confirming that the board intends to recommend an annual dividend per share of EUR0.36. In the 12 months to Dec. 31, the group made a net profit of USD2.04 billion up from USD1.80 billion in 2021.

The company also announced that the board of directors has decided to delist from Euronext Milan and "that shareholders will benefit more from listing on the NYSE only," as the company explained in a note.

On the Mid-Cap, Webuild--slumping 0.2 percent--reported Friday that it had signed the agreement to buy Clough, taking over EUR4 billion of backlog and securing 1,100 jobs.

The integration of Clough into Webuild will create a group that is among the largest players in Australia and among the most historic. The projects included in the scope of the acquisition are among the most important infrastructure projects under construction in Australia and Papua New Guinea, and the agreement reached between Deloitte and Webuild facilitates their delivery for the governments, local communities, and businesses involved.

Following the news given by Saras, which now trades in the red by 0.8 percent, on the funded collar transaction between ACM and Bank of Amercia, comes a clarifying note from both the fund and Angelo Moratti.

"The funded collar transaction in question between Angel Capital Management and BofA Securities Europe is in the nature of a financing transaction, with provision for a disbursement of a sum of money from BofASE to ACM as an interest-bearing loan and a collar derivative, for hedging purposes, concerning a maximum of 47.6 million ordinary shares of Saras Spa. On Feb. 1, 2023, BofASE - in total autonomy from ACM completed an accelerated book building transaction involving Saras shares for the purpose of hedging the long position taken under the collar," BofA specified.

Industrie De Nora rises 0.4 percent. The company on Thursday reviewed preliminary data as of Dec. 31, letting it know it reported consolidated revenues of more than EUR850 million from EUR615.9 million in 2021 and marking a 38 percent increase.

On the Small-Cap, Risanamento is in the red by 1.3 percent, after the board of directors announced Thursday that it had reviewed preliminary results for 2022, whereby the company reported a net loss of EUR53.8 million from EUR24.9 million in the same period last year.

Geox -- up 3.0 percent -- shared preliminary results for the year 2022 on Thursday, reporting revenues of EUR735.5 million up 21 percent from EUR608.9 million in 2021. Net financial position as of December 31, 2022 is negative EUR49.8 million from minus EUR64.3 million as of December 31, 2021.

Bologna's Aeroporto Guglielmo Marconi - up 1.2 percent - announced Thursday the consolidation of its partnership with Ryanair, which began in 2008 and was strengthened in 2016, is now confirmed with a six-year agreement.

Among SMEs, Confinvest - up 3.0 percent - announced Thursday that it had signed a partnership with Fabrick - the first player established in Italy with the aim of fostering open banking - aimed at including Conto Lingotto in the services offered by Fabrick.

Convergences rises 1.7 percent. The company reported Tuesday that it closed 2022 with revenues of EUR28.2 million, up 53 percent from EUR18.4 million a year earlier.

In New York at Thursday's close, the Dow gave up 0.1% to 34,053.94, the Nasdaq rose 3.3% to 12,200.82 while the S&P 500 gained 1.5% to 4,179.76.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0932 versus USD1.0917 at Wednesday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2252 from USD1.2255 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD82.01 per barrel versus USD82.70 per barrel Thursday night. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD1,924.05 an ounce from USD1,919.70 an ounce last session.

On Friday's macroeconomic calendar from the US, at 1430 CET, room for unemployment and nonfarm payrolls, at 1545 CET the manufacturing PMI will be known, and at 1900 CET the report from Baker Hughes on drilling rigs.

At 2130 CET, as usual on Fridays, will come the COT Report.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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