(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari and other European bourses are expected to follow the rises in Asia and New York at the opening of trading on Thursday, after the Federal Reserve last night raised rates by 25 basis points, as widely expected by the market.

But that's not all for central banks yet, as the European one and the Bank of England, at lunchtime today, will announce their latest monetary policy decisions. Half-percentage-point rises are expected from both.

IG futures give the FTSE Mib up 125.0 points or 0.5 percent after rising 0.6 percent to 26,703.87 at Wednesday's close.

London's FTSE 100 is given up 31.9 points or 0.4 percent, Paris' CAC 40 is shown up 45.2 points or 0.6 percent and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is expected up 95.0 points or 0.6 percent.

Last night, in Milan, the Mid-Cap gained 1.7 percent to 43,976.14, the Small-Cap closed up 0.4 percent to 29,693.21, and Italy Growth was the only one in the red, down 0.2 percent to 9,497.14.

On the bluechip list, the star performer was the banking segment, with markets ready for the likely 50-basis-point rate hike by the ECB scheduled for Thursday.

BPER Bank brought home 3.3 percent to EUR2.60. On the stock, Barclays raised its target price to EUR2.60 from EUR1.70.

Major purchases were also made on Unipol, which picked up 2.4 percent, rearing its head after three sessions ended among the bearish.

Intesa Sanpaolo closed up 1.8%, on the heels of eve's green with 2.8%.

UniCredit, meanwhile, rose 1.1 percent to EUR18.08. The bank yesterday announced a 2022 full-year profit excluding Russia at EUR5.4 billion from EUR3.3 billion a year earlier, "the best result in more than a decade," as pointed out by CEO Andrea Orcel.

Weak Recordati, which closed down 2.5 percent to EUR39.11.

On the Mid-Cap, major buying on OVS, which rose 13%. On the stock it is mentioned that Marshall Wace revised its short to 0.49% from 0.52%.

Saras, on the other hand, rises 4.0% to EUR1.65 and touched a 52-week high of EUR1.67 during the day.

Credito Emiliano gains 2.2% to EUR7.99. As this week's Evaluation.it analysis by Claudio Guerrini on Credem stock reveals, it "shows a higher riskiness than the market, with a beta greater than 1, due to its presence in the financial sector and exposure to market trends."

doValue closes up 1.2 percent after announcing Wednesday that the senior Class A securities of the securitization realized through the special purpose vehicle Fino 1 Securitization Srl have been repaid. This was possible "thanks to the excellent recovery performance of the loans underlying the securitization realized through Fino 1 Securitization, under which the GACS guarantee was granted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance," the company explained.

Monte dei Paschi di Siena rises 0.5 percent to EUR2.46 per share as it awaits results due to be published next week.

Cembre gives up 1.7 percent, in its third bearish session.

On the Small-Cap, high quarters for Trevi Finanziaria Industriale, which takes home 4.9% with high trading volume compared to the average. In fact, the stock traded over 6.3 million pieces, compared to an average volume of 1.3 million over the past three months.

Seri Industrial ends up 0.8 percent, after announcing Tuesday that the board of directors authorized the signing of new lease agreements with related party Pmimmobiliare by subsidiaries FIB and Seri Plast and with Azienda Agricola Quercete by the company.

In contrast, I Grandi Viaggi rises 7.1 percent, in its third session on the bullish side and taking the top spot on the list. The stock is trading high with more than 138,000 changed hands, compared to a three-month daily average of just under 29,000.

Among the negative notes, Compagnia Immobiliare Azionaria gives up 1.2 percent to with final price at EUR0.0648.

Among SMEs, Energy stretches over 23% after a 2.5% loss in the previous session. High volume on this stock as well, with 103,000 units traded compared to the three-month daily average of 17,800 units traded.

Convergence rises 9.9 percent to EUR2.44. The company reported Tuesday that it ended 2022 with revenues of EUR28.2 million, up 53 percent from EUR18.4 million a year earlier.

ReeVo - up 4.1 percent - announced Wednesday that with the Temporary Grouping of Companies in which it participates together with IBM Italy, through the ITALIT business network, it has signed the framework contract for the provision of cloud application services and demand and PMO services, for central public administrations.

Among the bearers, numerous in the list, mention is made of the red of Fenix Entertainment with 7.2 percent, ending in negative balance for the third consecutive session. Over the past month it has lost more than 28 percent. Also negative is the performance of the last six months, in which the stock dropped 45 percent. Over the past year, Fenix has given up 72%.

Digital Value rose 0.1 percent after reporting Tuesday that it ended 2022 with revenues of EUR706.9 million, up 18 percent or EUR109.4 million from the previous year. The figure exceeded the market consensus of EUR697.2 million by 1.4 percent "and confirms the country's strong focus on investments in digitization and ICT infrastructure efficiency," as the company explained.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed Thursday up 0.2 percent to 27,402.05, the Shanghai Composite rose slightly to 3,285.67 and the Hang Seng is falling 0.1 percent to 22,047.00.

In New York on Wednesday, the Dow closed just above par at 34,092.96, the Nasdaq rose 2.0 percent to 11,816.32 while the S&P 500 gained 1.1 percent to 4,119.21.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.1012 versus USD1.0918 at Wednesday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2393 from USD1.2302 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD83.21 per barrel versus USD85.07 per barrel Wednesday night. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD1,958.74 an ounce from USD1,924.75 an ounce last session.

On Thursday's macroeconomic calendar, the Bank of England's decision on the main rate is due at 1300 CET. At 1415 CET, on the other hand, it will be the ECB's rate decision, with the press conference of its president, Christine Lagarde, taking place half an hour later.

From the US, at 1600 CET the durable goods report, while at 1730 CET the 4- and 8-week Treasury bond auctions are scheduled.

Among companies, results from CNH Industrial and Ferrari are expected.

By Giuseppe Fabio Ciccomascolo, Alliance News senior reporter

Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com

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