(Alliance News) - On Wednesday, major European stock markets are expected to be in positive territory on a morning full of cues on the macroeconomic front.

Thus, IG futures give the FTSE Mib in the green by 0.2 percent or up 52.5 points, after closing in the green by 1.3 percent at 30,623.27.

Paris's CAC 40 is expected up 0.1% or up 4.2 points, Frankfurt's DAX 40 is given fractional red or down 7.0 points, London's FTSE 100 is expected up 6.4 points or up 0.1%.

In macroeconomic news, industrial production in Japan rose 1.8 percent month-on-month in December, reversing the trend from the previous month's 0.9 percent decline, but remaining below market estimates of 2.4 percent growth.

This was the strongest pace of growth in industrial production since June.

In addition, Chinese factory activity contracted in January for the fourth consecutive month, according to official data released Wednesday, as Beijing struggles to find ways to revive its economy.

According to China's National Bureau of Statistics, the purchasing managers' index -- a key measure of industrial production -- stood at 49.2 points in January.

The figure improved slightly from the 49 points recorded in December, but is still below the 50-point threshold that separates expansion from contraction.

Among other listings in Milan on Tuesday, the Mid-Cap gained 0.3 percent to 45,460.18, the Small-Cap gave up 0.3 percent to 27,674.89, while Italy Growth finished just below par at 8,312.66.

On the Mib Saipem gave up more than 12 percent. The company confirmed Tuesday an accident on the pipelaying vessel Castorone off Australian waters during normal pipelaying operations.

"The incident caused no injuries to personnel and there was localized damage to the main line which will be remedied. The vessel Castorone was not seriously damaged. The health and safety of our personnel, the environment and our assets are a top priority for Saipem," reads the note released by the company.

Tenaris, on the other hand, left 2.0 percent on the parterre, with a new price at EUR14.68 per share after a 0.5 percent red note on the eve of the day.

Also hurt was ERG, which gave up 0.1 percent after announcing the finalization of the acquisition from QEnergy France SAS, a leading renewable energy operator in France, of 100 percent of CEPE Renouvellement Haut Cabardès SAS, a company that owns a 73.2 MW wind and solar portfolio in France.

The finalization of this transaction allows ERG to consolidate its position in France, the second largest market after Italy, reaching 674 MW of installed capacity in the country, of which about 20 percent consists of solar.

Good session for Intesa Sanpaolo, which marked a plus 3.4 percent at EUR2.87. The stock during the session updated its 52-week high at EUR2.87.

Banco BPM also rose, which picked up 3.1 percent. Capital Fund Management raised its short position on the stock to 0.65 percent from 0.58 percent previously.

On the Mid-Cap, Banca Popolare di Sondrio raised the bar 3.7%, on its sixth bullish daily candle.

Digital Value rose 1.4 percent, following up on the eve's close with a 10 percent gain.

Salvatore Ferragamo gave up 1.9 percent. In recent days it reported preliminary results for 2023, with revenues coming in at EUR1.16 billion from EUR1.25 billion in the previous year and therefore down 7.6 percent.

Saras also hurt, in the red by 6.9 percent. High trading volume was recorded on the stock, amounting to more than 26 million pieces compared with a three-month daily average of just under 7.5 million.

Ariston Holding, on the other hand, gave up 2.0 percent on the heels of Monday's 1.7 percent red.

On the Small-Cap, Softlab gave up 6.3 percent to EUR1.55 per share, following the 2.4 percent red on the eve of the day.

Fidia, on the other hand, left 6.4 percent on the parterre, following two previous bearish sessions.

Biesse - in the green by 0.3 percent - on Monday reported that as the conditions precedent stipulated in the acquisition agreement had been fulfilled, the acquisition of the entire share capital of GMM Finance Srl, the holding company heading the GMM Group to which GMM Spa, Bavelloni Spa and Techni Waterjet Ltd, as well as their respective Italian and foreign subsidiaries, active in the sectors of machine tools for processing stone, glass and other materials, belonged.

The provisional acquisition consideration of approximately EUR69 million was fully settled in cash, starting from an enterprise value of EUR86.5 million and considering a Net Debt Financial Position.

Autostrade Meridionali advanced more than 15 percent to EUR14.00 per share, in its fourth bullish session.

Among SMEs, Casta Diva rallied 6.8 percent, on its third bullish session.

High quarters also for Health Italia, which took home more than 14 percent with new price in the EUR1.50 per share area.

Clabo, on the other hand, gave up 9.3 percent despite good numbers released earlier in the day. The company reported Tuesday that it achieved consolidated revenues of EUR63.4 million in 2023, up 7.0% from EUR59.3 million in 2022. Adjusted Net Financial Position stood at EUR31.3 million compared to EUR34.9 million as of December 31, 2022 and EUR33.1 million as of September 30, 2023.

Imprendiroma, on the other hand, gave up 6.7 percent after two sessions closed among the bullish.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed in the green by 0.6 percent to 36,286.71, while the Hang Seng was in the red by 1.6 percent to 15,453.39 and the Shanghai Composite gave up 1.5 percent to 2,788.55.

In New York on Tuesday, the Dow Jones closed in the green by 0.4 percent at 38,467.31, the S&P finished down 0.1 percent at 4,924.97, and the Nasdaq closed down 0.8 percent at 15,509.90.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0820 against USD1.0840 recorded in Tuesday's European equities close while the pound was worth USD1.2674 from USD1.2669 on Tuesday evening.

Brent crude is worth USD82.16 per barrel versus USD82.45 per barrel at Tuesday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD2,052.05 an ounce from USD2,032.51 an ounce Tuesday night.

On Wednesday's calendar at 0955 CET is expected Germany's unemployment rate and at 1000 CET comes Italy's monthly unemployment rate.

At 1200 CET it will be the turn of Italian industrial sales, while at 1300 CET the US mortgage market report will be released. At 1400 CET, on the other hand, the CPI from Germany will be released.

At 1630 CET, from the U.S., it will be the turn of the crude oil stocks figure, the EIA report and the Cushing inventory.

At 2000 CET, however, there will be the FOMC's interest rate decision.

Among companies, Convergence and NVP results are coming up.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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