(Alliance News) - On Monday, Piazza Affari closed in a bullish trend, setting the point bar in the 30,500 area, with trading rooms awaiting the release of economic data such as that on U.S. inflation, which should provide further information on possible moves by major central banks, while markets are pricing in a Fed rate cut in March -- with probability just under 70 percent -- in the range of 25 basis points.

As far as the Eurotower is concerned, however, the cut in the cost of money appears later. According to the London-based asset manager's team of analysts, "the market is skeptical about March cuts for the ECB in the face of a stronger wage outlook in the first quarter, but is pricing 33 bp of cuts through April in total. Confidence data and ECB releases this week will provide further guidance on whether the pricing of ECB cuts for the first quarter is appropriate or premature."

The FTSE Mib closed up 0.4 percent to 30,569.92, the Mid-Cap was up 1.1 percent to 44,247.78, the Small-Cap was up 0.9 percent to 28,105.76 while Italy Growth gave up 0.2 percent to 8,278.33.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 rallied 0.1 percent, Paris' CAC 40 closed up 0.4 percent while Frankfurt's DAX 40 rose 0.7 percent.

On the blue chip list, Banca Mediolanum closed up 1.9 percent. The bank reported Monday that it reported total net inflows of EUR1.22 billion in December. Net inflows in assets under management stood at EUR655 million in December.

Morgan Stanley promotes Amplifon to 'overweight' from 'equal weight' and raises the target price to EUR35.00 from EUR30.00. The stock closed the session doing best of all at EUR31.60 with daily positive balance of 3.4 percent.

Good buys also on Pirelli, which led the price up 3.0 percent to EUR4.98, after a 0.1 percent loss in the previous session.

BPER Banca - just above par - announced on Monday that it had mandated Barclays as Sole Structuring Advisor, Global Coordinator and Joint Bookrunner and Deutsche Bank, IMI-Intesa Sanpaolo, Mediobanca, Morgan Stanley and UBS as Joint Bookrunners to explore the potential interest of institutional investors with respect to a potential Additional Tier 1 bond issue in euros.

Eni--declining 3.0 percent--reported Monday that it had successfully launched a EUR1 billion bond issue, part of its Euro Medium Term Note program. Demand was for EUR5 billion, with orders coming from institutional investors mainly from the UK, Germany, Italy and France. The bond - the proceeds of which will be used for the soceity's ordinary needs - has a 10-year term, maturing on January 15, 2034, a re-offer price of 99.3% and will pay an annual coupon of 3.875%, which will remain unchanged until maturity.

Subsidiary Saipem, on the other hand, gave up 3.9%, priced at EUR1.50, both tracking the decline in the barrel price and subject to profit-taking after four sessions closed with a bullish candle.

On the MidCap, Alerion advanced well, taking home a plus 4.5 percent after a 1.2 percent loss on the eve.

LU-VE, on the other hand, picked up 2.9 percent after a 0.6 percent decline on Friday night.

Anima Holding--bullish with 3.1%--reported Monday that the group's net inflows of assets under management in December--excluding class I insurance proxies--were positive EUR277 million, bringing the 2024 total to a negative EUR171 million. At year-end, total assets under management by the Anima group stood at EUR191.5 billion.

On a bearish note, the list's minority, Banca Popolare di Sondrio gave up 0.9 percent, after two sessions closed with a bullish trend.

d'Amico is giving up 1.8 percent, following Friday night's decline of 0.2 percent.

On the SmallCap, algoWatt is doing well, up 9.4%, with shares closing at EUR0.3040. The company announced that the Court of Milan has accepted the appeal for the company's admission to the "conditional" arrangement procedure. The court also appointed Carlo Pagliughi and Vincenzo Tartaro as judicial commissioners and set March 4 as the deadline for submitting a final proposal for an arrangement with creditors or an application for approval of debt restructuring agreements.

ClassEditori also advanced well, which brought home a 1.8 percent gain after a 2.1 percent red on Friday night.

Biesse, on the other hand, rallied 3.1 percent on the heels of Friday night's 1.5 percent green.

Among the bearers, numerous in the list, Netweek gave up 1.6 percent, after 1.6 percent green on the eve of the day.

Fidia, on the other hand, gave up 2.7 percent, continuing its long bearish trend.

Among SMEs, Farmacosmo advanced 10 percent, following up last session's gain, albeit by a more restrained 1.6 percent. Of note, there was high trading volume on the stock with over 596,000 pieces changed hands compared to a three-month daily average of 63,100.

High Quality Food, on the other hand, rallied 4.3 percent after the 1.2 percent red with which it closed Friday night.

Ilpra--flat with prezzzo at EUR5.00--reported Monday that it has opened a new trading subsidiary in Daejeon, South Korea. As the company explained, "the further strengthening of the presence in foreign markets is part of a policy to strengthen the group in geographic areas considered strategic and with high growth potential as well as a strengthening of the sales network aimed at increasing commercial activities and, consequently, market share."

E-Globe, on the other hand, gave up 3.1 percent, with new price at EUR1.39 per share.

Energy, on the other hand, gave up 4.4 percent, subject to profit taking after two sessions of gains in which it accumulated an asset of nearly 24 percent.

In New York on Friday, the Dow Jones is giving up 0.2 percent, the S&P is ahead 0.6 percent, and the Nasdaq is up 1.2 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0973 against USD1.0968 recorded in Friday's European stock close while the pound is worth USD1.2761 from USD1.2741 on Friday evening.

Brent crude is worth USD75.87 per barrel versus USD78.88 per barrel at Friday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,032.19 an ounce from USD2,049.11 an ounce on Friday night.

On Tuesday's macroeconomic calendar, at 0030 CET, Japan's inflation figure is due while, at 0800 CET, it is the turn of Germany's industrial production, followed at 1000 CET by Italy's unemployment rate. At 1100 CET, the Eurozone's unemployment rate will arrive instead.

In the afternoon, at 1430 CET, it is time for the U.S. and Canadian trade balance while, at 1900 CET, an auction of three-year Treasury bonds is scheduled. Closing the day will be the data on US oil stocks, at 2230 CET.

No particular announcements are scheduled in the corporate calendar for the Piazza Affari.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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