(Alliance News) - Europe's major marketplaces on Thursday open lower, as expected, as traders await the ECB's decision on the rate hike.

"The focus is now shifting to the European Central Bank's decision later today with a 0.25 percent increase to 3.75 percent expected as eurozone economies grapple with stubborn inflation," commented Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.

The signals the bank sends on the number of future rate hikes will be closely monitored. "The ECB is behind the curve relative to the Fed and also the Bank of England, while prices are still soaring, rising disappointingly at the last moment. Escalating inflation is punishing households and making the prospects of intense civil unrest more likely, a scenario that will not escape France's Macron, who is struggling to contain rabid protests over the reduction of workers' pensions," the analyst added.

Thus, the FTSE Mib opens 0.8 percent in the red at 26,629.70.

Among Italy's smaller lists, the Mid-Cap opens down 0.8 percent to 42,706.82, the Small-Cap gives up 0.6 percent to 28,576.72, and Italy Growth is in the green 0.2 percent to 9,173.31.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 opens down 0.5 percent as does Frankfurt's FTSE 100 and DAX 40.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Assicurazioni Generali starts the day 0.4% in the red after announcing Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Frankfurter Leben to sell Generali Deutschland Pensionskasse AG, known by the acronym GDPK.

Poste Italiane gives up 1.0% despite its quarterly results to March 31, 2023, which were in line with guidance for the year. Profit is EUR540 million from EUR494 million in the same period last year, up 9.4 percent

Revenues total EUR3.0 billion from EUR2.8 billion, up 8.1 percent

The board of Leonardo -- which does worse than all and opens in the red by 3.7 percent -- on Wednesday reviewed and approved results for the first quarter, which closed with a net profit of EUR54 million from EUR56 in the comparable period.

Revenues were EUR3.03 billion and were in line with the first quarter of 2022 in all business sectors, "with an increase in Electronics for Defense and Security and a slight increase in Aerostructures," the company's note specifies.

Enel's board of directors -- in the red by 0.4 percent -- reviewed and approved the interim report as of March 31, which closed with the group's ordinary net income at EUR1.51 billion from EUR1.48 billion in the same quarter 2022.

Revenues for the first quarter of 2023 were EUR26.4 billion, down EUR7.7 billion or 23 percent from the first quarter of 2022.

UniCredit is in the green by 0.3 percent after announcing that its board of directors on Tuesday approved the results for the first quarter of 2023, calling it "the best first quarter ever and the ninth consecutive quarter of improved results in every respect." Net book profit amounted to EUR2.1 billion from EUR274 million in the same period of 2022.

Few others were bullish, led by oil stocks that recovered, with Saipem and Tenaris picking up 0.7 percent and Eni 0.6 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, Anima Holding gives up 0.7 percent after reporting Thursday that the group's net inflows of assets under management in April were positive EUR86 million.

In contrast, net inflows for the first four months were negative EUR482 million.

At the end of April, the group's total assets under management stood at more than EUR182 billion.

On Wednesday, the board of Acea - in the red by 0.8 percent - confirmed as CEO and general manager of the company Fabrizio Palermo, who was given powers for the ordinary management of the company and the group.

Safilo Group - in the red by 1.2% - reported Wednesday that it saw first-quarter gross industrial profit rise to EUR167.8 million from EUR155.5 million in the same period a year earlier.

Safilo's first-quarter net sales stood at EUR287.2 million, up 1.6 percent at current exchange rates and down slightly, 0.4 percent, at constant exchange rates from the EUR282.6 million reported in the first quarter of 2022.

Maire Tecnimont's board of directors -- down 6.0 percent -- on Wednesday reviewed and approved the interim report for the year ended March 31, which closed with a consolidated net profit of EUR26.2 million, up 47 percent. Group net income amounted to EUR25.2 million, up 37 percent from the first quarter of 2022. Despite the good numbers, the stock closed lower, giving up 2.1 percent at the end of the day.

Saras opens up 1.6%. It is reported that board of directors on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Massimo Moratti as chairman and chief executive officer. Franco Balsamo, general manager of the company, was instead appointed deputy ceo.

On the Small-Cap, Mondo TV gives up 2.1 percent. The company announced Wednesday that the series Monster Loving Maniacs reached the number one position on CBBC--BBC British Broadacsting corporation, Children channel 7-12 years--with more than 40 percent share.

Pierrel ends up at the bottom and loses 9.3 percent. The company announced Wednesday that it has signed agreements with 3M Company, a U.S.-based company with international operations in industry, worker safety, transportation and electronics, health care and consumer goods, whose shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, to acquire certain dental products for local anesthesia.

The board of Conafi Prestitò-which does not yet trade-approved on Tuesday the financial statements as of Dec. 31, 2022 reporting a net loss of EUR3.4 million for the full year, worsening from a net loss of EUR1.7 million in 2021. Consolidated revenues amounted to EUR5.9 million up from EUR2.7 million in 2021.

Finally, among SMEs, EdiliziAcrobatica opens in the red by 0.9 percent after announcing Thursday that revenues in the first quarter of the year were EUR36.8 million, up nearly 11 percent from 2022's first quarter figure of EUR33.3 million.

Circle Group still does not trade. The company announced Wednesday that it has signed a new framework contract and a first project worth about EUR300,000 with a leading international multimodal logistics operator.

Fenix Entertainment rises 1.4 percent after closing on top with more than 14 percent. On Friday it reported first quarter 2023 production value at EUR7.5 million from EUR4.6 million in first quarter 2022.

In Asia, with the Japanese stock exchange closed for holidays, the Shanghai Composite closed in the green by 0.8 percent at 3,350.46 while the Hang Seng was up 1.1 percent at 19,910.55.

In New York, the Dow Jones closed in the red 0.8 percent to 33,414.24, the Nasdaq finished down 0.5 percent to 12,025.33 while the S&P 500 closed down 0.7 percent to 4,090.75.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.1069 versus USD1.1053 at Wednesday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2565 from USD1.2549 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD72.99 per barrel versus USD71.91 per barrel on Wednesday evening. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD2,034.83 an ounce from USD2,023.71 an ounce at Wednesday's close.

On Thursday's macroeconomic calendar, at 0945 CEST, Italy's services PMI will be released and, at five-minute intervals, those of France, Germany and the Eurozone. At 1030 CEST, the same data will come instead for the United Kingdom.

At 1100 CEST, for the Eurozone, the producer price index will be released.

At 1415 CEST, eyes on the ECB and the interest rate announcement. This will be followed half an hour later by the cosuete press conference with the central bank president, Christine Lagarde.

At 1430 CEST, focus on U.S. claims for unemployment benefits while, at 1730 CEST, an auction of four- and eight-week U.S. Treasury bonds is scheduled.

Among Piazza Affari companies, accounts from Ferrari, Italgas, Moncler, and Edison, among others, are scheduled.

By Chiara Bruschi, Alliance News reporter

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