(Alliance News) - The main index in Piazza Affari on Friday pulled the oars in the boat, letting the sell side prevail, albeit slightly, and placing the bar at 29,500, still remaining close to the 15-year high reached on the eve of the event after eight sessions closed in surplus.

On Friday, the European Central Bank raised interest rates for the ninth consecutive time, taking borrowing costs to new multi-year highs, hinting at a possible pause in rate hikes at its September meeting when new inflation forecasts will be released.

Thus, the FTSE Mib closed down 0.3 percent to 29,500.20, the Mid-Cap was up 0.1 percent to 42,785.09, the Small-Cap was in the green 0.2 percent to 27,064.56, and Italy Growth closed just below par at 9,083.12.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 closed just above par, Paris' CAC 40 up 0.3 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX closed up 0.4 percent.

On the highest-capitalization list in Piazza Affari, Banca Generali, which presented its half-year results, rose 2.9 percent. The bank reported a net profit of EUR175.1 million, which compares with EUR131.3 million for the same period in 2022. Net interest income was EUR151.5 million from EUR51.8 million in the same period of 2022.

Azimut Holding equally finished among the best, rising 2.3 percent. The company reported Thursday that it achieved total revenues of EUR643 million in the first half of the year compared to EUR668 million in the first half of 2022. Operating profit amounted to EUR286 million from EUR279 million in the same period of 2022. Adjusted net income was EUR231 million from EUR202 million in the first half of the previous year.

Iveco, on the other hand, rallied 2.8 percent to EUR8.57, in its third bullish session.

Eni closed down 0.5 percent. The company reported Friday that it closed the first half with a sharply declining year-on-year net profit despite a slight increase in hydrocarbon production. The six-legged dog's net income fell 64 percent in the first half to EUR2.68 billion from EUR7.40 billion in the first half of 2022, while, in the second quarter alone, the decline was even sharper, to EUR294 million from EUR3.82 billion.

Sharp decline also for adjusted profit, down to EUR4.84 billion from EUR7.08 billion in the first half and to EUR1.94 billion from EUR3.81 billion in the quarter. Adjusted net income is obtained by excluding from reported net income special items and inventory gain or loss as well as, when determining the net income of business segments, financial expenses or income related to net financial debt.

On the other hand, ERG closed down 6.6 percent. The company reported Friday that it closed the first half of the year with net income up 40 percent to EUR116 million from EUR82 million in the same period a year earlier. Ebitda dropped to EUR263 million from EUR272 million and Ebit fell to EUR155 million from EUR165 million.

STMicrolectronics closed the listing down 4.1 percent. The company on Thursday presented financial results for the second quarter ended July 1, reporting net revenues of USD4.33 billion from USD3.84 billion in the same period of 2022. Net income for the period amounted to USD1.00 billion which compares to USD867 million in the second quarter of 2022. Net income per share, after dilution, increased to USD1.06 from USD0.92 in the same period of 2022.

On the Mid-Cap, Alerion closed down 4.6 percent, with price at EUR28.35 after the accounts. The first half ended with a net profit of EUR50.5 million, up from EUR44.7 million in the same period last year. Revenues fell to EUR111.5 million from EUR141 million.

Brembo--in the red by 2.5 percent--reported Thursday that it ended the first half of the year with revenues up 12 percent year-on-year to EUR1.95 billion from EUR1.75 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Good buys on Eurogroup Laminations, which posted a plus 3.1 percent on the heels of eve's 1.3 percent green.

Caltagirone, on the other hand, advanced 2.8%, in its third consecutive session in the green.

Cementir Holding rose 0.6 percent after reporting Thursday in the first six months of the year it reported group net income of EUR90.3 million, up 36 percent from EUR66.6 million as of June 30, 2022. Revenues stood at EUR840.7 million from EUR831.6 million in the first half of last year.

Webuild--declining 0.5 percent--reported Friday that revenues and profitability rose in the first half of the year but widened its loss, despite a record construction portfolio. Revenues rose to EUR4.54 billion in the first half of the year from EUR3.84 billion in the same period a year earlier. The construction portfolio as of June 30, 2023 has reached record levels, standing at over EUR51 billion, and covers 100 percent of target revenues to 2025. This allows the group to face future challenges in a leading position, thanks in part to the excellent balance in low-risk geographies such as Italy, Central and Northern European countries, the U.S. and Australia, which make up about 78 percent of the backlog.

On the Small-Cap, Seri Industrial advanced 3.8 percent, rearing its head after two sessions in the red.

BasicNet, on the other hand, rose 4.5 percent, after reporting that it closed the first half with a net income of EUR7.4 million from EUR10.7 million in the first six months of 2022.

Conafi, on the other hand, marks a plus 2.3 percent, in the green after a four-session downtrend.

The board of Geox -- down 1.1 percent -- on Thursday said it had approved consolidated results as of June 30, which closed with a loss of EUR9.6 million, compared with a loss of EUR19.6 million in the first six months of 2022. Consolidated revenues for the first half of the year stood at EUR353.6 million, up 3.8 percent from the previous year, "mainly due to the good performance of the multi-brand channel, which increased by 10 percent."

Fiera Milano -- down 1.0 percent -- announced Wednesday that it had approved results as of June 30, having reported a net profit of EUR25.7 million from EUR5.3 million in the same period last year. In the first half, consolidated revenues amounted to EUR132.2 million from EUR116.2 million as of June 30, 2022.

Among SMEs, Giglio.Com closed up 11 percent, rebounding after two bearish sessions in which it left about 18 percent on the parterre.

International Care Company-suspended during the session at EUR1.68-announced Friday that controlling shareholder FD Holding Spa and its direct and indirect controlling shareholders have entered into an agreement with Intesa Sanpaolo Vita aimed at the latter's entry into the share capital of International Care Company.

Relatech closed down 0.9 percent. The company closed the first half of the year with revenues up 89 percent year-on-year to EUR48 million from EUR25.4 million in the same period last year. The share of recurring revenues stood at EUR18 million or so, up 112% from EUR8.6 million as of June 30, 2022, and accounted for 38% of revenues from consolidated sales. Revenues to foreign countries are EUR13 million or so, up 58% from the same period last year.

Valtecne, on the other hand, gave up 6.1 percent, in its fourth session on the bearish side.

In New York, the Dow Jones is giving up 0.8 percent, the S&P, up 1.2 percent, while the Nasdaq is picking up 2.0 percent.

Among currencies, the euro is changing hands at USD1.1033 against USD1.0994 on Thursday in closing European equities while the pound is instead worth USD1.2864 from USD1.2866 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD84.55 per barrel versus USD84.12 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,962.19 an ounce from USD1,948.90 an ounce Thursday evening.

On Monday's macroeconomic calendar at 0150 CEST from Japan industrial production and retail sales, at 0330 CEST China's manufacturing Pmi. At 0800 CEST, from Germany, import prices and retail sales, while at 1000 CEST it will be the turn of Italy's quarterly GDP, followed at 1100 CEST by the inflation figure, which will also come at the same time from the Eurozone along with GDP.

At 1200 CEST, from Italy, the trade balance.

In the evening, from the US, at 1730 CEST, auction of Treasury bonds with 3- and 6-month maturities.

On the corporate calendar, CIR, Convergenze, Culti, Eles, Gabetti , Nexi, RCS, and Saras, among numerous results.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News senior reporter

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