(Alliance News) - European stock markets -- according to the futures market -- are expected to open lower on Friday after two intense days due to interest rate decisions.

Ipek Ozkardeskaya - an analyst at Swissquote Bank - commented, "The new market game is being played between two camps: 'financial stress and how the authorities are dealing with or promise to deal with potential new turmoil' and 'recession worries.'"

On Thursday, the Bank of England raised UK interest rates by 25 basis points, as widely expected. The decision raised the key U.K. bank rate to 4.25 percent from the previous 4.00 percent. The vote was split, with seven members of the Monetary Policy Committee voting for the increase and two for keeping the bank rate unchanged.

Thursday's move by the BoE followed similar interest rate decisions by the Swiss National Bank and Norges Bank on Thursday morning, the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday and the European Central Bank last week.

The Fed raised U.S. interest rates by a quarter percentage point, resisting the urge to suspend increases in the face of banking sector turmoil, while the SNB raised rates by 50 basis points. The ECB, on the other hand, did so last week. Norway's central bank equally opted for a 25 basis point increase.

Thus, the FTSE Mib marks a decline of 75.00 points, after closing last night down 0.2 percent at 26,482.21.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is in the red by 39.00 points, Paris' CAC 40 is giving up 32.50 points, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is down 46.00 points.

Among Italy's smaller listings last night, the Mid-Cap closed in the green by 0.3 percent at 42,949.26, the Small-Cap finished up 0.3 percent at 30,041.31 while the Italy Growth gained 0.7 percent to 9,354.31.

On the main list of Piazza Affari - Thursday evening - major banks and oil stocks still suffered. Saipem is the tail end with a 3.4 percent drop, Tenaris gives up 2.3 percent and Eni is in the red by 0.2 percent.

Banco BPM is back down 3.0%, and Nexi, BPER Banca, UniCredit, Banca Mediolanum, Mediobanca, Intesa Sanpaolo, FinecoBank, and Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena are also hurting, all giving up between 2.0% and 1.0%.

At the other end of the list, however, Inwit closed in the green by 5.2 percent followed by Terna, up 2.7 percent, and Snam, which finished up 1.8 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, Industrie De Nora gave up 4.8 percent and is the worst stock on the list. The board approved the consolidated annual financial report as of December 31, 2022, which closed with the group's net income rising 35 percent to EUR89.7 million from EUR66.4 million in 2021.

The board proposed the distribution of a dividend of EUR0.12 per share.

Iren -- in the green by 2.2 percent -- announced Thursday that the board, along with its 2022 financial results, also approved an update of its business plan to 2030, with which the company "confirms the strategic vision" but "strengthens investments," which will amount to EUR10.5 billion over the next eight years, up EUR200 million from the 2021-2030 Plan.

The company ended 2022 with a net profit of EUR226 million, down 25 percent from EUR303 million in the previous year.

At the top were Salcef Group and Mondadori, which advanced 5.6 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively.

On the Small-Cap, Beghelli brought home a 9.2 percent gain.

Good Immsi, which closed in the green by 4.4 percent after announcing Thursday that it ended 2022 with "the best results ever, setting new records for all indicators," according to the official note. As of Dec. 31, 2022, the company reported a net profit of EUR63.9 million from EUR35.4 million in 2021. The board also proposed a dividend of EUR3.9 cents per share from EUR3 cents in the previous year.

Revenues rose 24 percent to EUR2.12 billion, up from EUR1.70 billion in 2021, an all-time high for the company.

The board of directors of Seri Industrial-which closed down 5.4 percent placing it at the bottom-reviewed and approved the draft operating budget for 2022, in which it posted a loss of EUR4.4 million compared to EUR462,000 in the previous year.

Total revenues amounted to EUR204.1 million compared to EUR177.1 million in the previous year, due to both increased sales volumes in certain business segments and higher average prices.

Compagnia Immobiliare Azionaria - in the red by 2.4 percent - reported that it closed 2022 with a net loss of EUR837,000, halved from a negative EUR1.5 million in 2021.

Revenues from sales amounted to EUR378,000 from EUR285,000 in the previous year while other revenues dropped to EUR37,000 from EUR51,000, for a total figure rising to EUR415,000 from EUR336,000 a year earlier.

Class Editori, on the other hand, advanced 2.9 percent after reporting that it will return to profit in 2022 and that revenues rose despite a decline in the advertising market in the second half of the year.

Net income returns EUR17.3 million positive from the EUR13.0 million loss a year earlier, and pretax profit is EUR22.8 million and compares with the pretax liability of EUR13.3 million a year earlier.

RCS MediaGroup's stock closed in the green by 1.9 percent after the board of directors on Tuesday reviewed and approved consolidated results as of December 31, 2022, which closed with a positive group net income of EUR50.1 million compared to EUR72.4 million in 2021.

Consolidated net revenues stood at EUR845 million and were essentially stable compared to 2021's EUR846.2 million. Digital revenues realized by the group in 2022 are worth about EUR207 million from EUR205 million in 2021, accounting for 25 percent of total revenues.

Among SMEs, Giglio.com -- flat at EUR3.18 per share -- reported Thursday that it closed 2022 with a reduced year-on-year net loss, to EUR2.3 million from EUR2.9 million in the previous year.

Gross merchandising value rose to EUR57.5 million or 38 percent from EUR41.6 million in 2021; revenues from sales and services increased to EUR51.1 million or 35 percent from EUR37.9 million in 2021.

SolidWorld Group closed in the red by 0.3 percent after reporting Thursday that it has signed a business agreement with Oversonic Robotics, a Brianza-based software company that designs and builds cognitive computing systems applying them, in particular, to the field of humanoid robotics.

As a result of the agreement, SolidWorld Group will be the official worldwide supplier of RoBee, the first 100% Made in Italy humanoid cognitive robot made by Oversonic. Through this partnership, RoBee will be available on a worldwide sales network, purchasable by any company across the globe.

In New York on European night, the Dow advanced 0.2 percent, the Nasdaq rose 1.0 percent, and the S&P 500 picked up 0.3 percent.

Among Asian exchanges, the Nikkei gave up 0.1 percent, the Hang Seng rose 0.8 percent, and the Shanghai Composite closed down 0.6 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0825 versus USD1.0897 at Thursday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2276 from USD1.2326 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD76.28 per barrel versus USD76.64 per barrel last night. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,987.45 an ounce from USD1,993.09 an ounce at last night's close.

On Friday's economic calendar, Spanish GDP is due out at 0900 CET.

At 0915 CET the French services and manufacturing PMI index will come out. The same data will come in at 0930 CET in Germany, at 1000 CET from the Eurozone, and at 1030 CET from the UK.

Several macros are scheduled in the afternoon in the US, including the PMI index for services and manufacturing at 1445 CET.

Among the companies listed in Piazza Affari, the results of several companies including Juventus Football Club, Maps, Mondo TV and NB Aurora Sicaf are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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