(Alliance News) - The Mib index closed higher on Friday, taking the point bar to the 27,300 area, outperforming other European exchanges, buoyed in part by good quarterly reports that gave strength to the buy side.

Trading rooms also weighed the better-than-expected U.S. jobs report, which dashed hopes that the Federal Reserve might cut interest rates in the near term. Jobs unexpectedly grew by 253,000 in April, exceeding forecasts of 180,000 and following March's figure of 165,000, revised downward from the initial estimate of 236,000.

In the CME Group platform's FedWatch Tool, using futures also based on the actual federal funds rate, or EFFR, the confirmation of the rate at the June 14 meeting has a 93 percent probability predicted for confirmation in the 500/525 bps range.

In contrast, the 25 bps hike in the 525/550 bps target is priced at 7%.

Thus, the FTSE Mib closed up 2.5 percent at 27,348.57.

Among Italy's smaller listings, the Mid-Cap closed up 1.6 percent to 43,460.57, the Small-Cap rallied 1.5 percent to 28,855.03, and Italy Growth finished in the green by 0.5 percent to 9,182.88.

In Europe, the CAC 40 closed up 1.3 percent, the FTSE 100 rallied 1.0 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 advanced 1.4 percent.

On the main list of Piazza Affari, boost on Saipem, which rising 6.1% brings the new price to EUR1.3240 rearing its head after three sessions among the bearish.

DiaSorin, on the other hand, stretched 4.7 percent to EUR104.45, pending results due to be published Wednesday.

Prysmian Group -- up 2.9% -- on Friday announced that it had won an order worth more than EUR800 million for a new power transmission interconnection between France and Spain. The link will be built on behalf of INELFE, a 50-50 joint venture between Spanish grid operator Red Eléctrica and French grid operator Réseau de Transport d'Électricité.

Intesa Sanpaolo -- stretching 3.7 percent -- reported Friday that first-quarter net income showed a marked increase on a year-over-year and quarterly basis to EUR1.96 billion. In the first quarter of 2022 it was EUR1.04 billion while in the last quarter of last year it was EUR1.08 billion.

Operating income grew to EUR6.06 billion from EUR5.41 billion a year earlier and from EUR5.67 billion in the last quarter of 2022 while operating expenses declined on a cyclical basis, to EUR2.54 billion from EUR3.13 billion, but rose slightly on an annual basis, from EUR2.52 billion.

CNH Industrial's board released its first-quarter results, which closed with net income of USD486 million, with diluted earnings per share of USD0.35, compared with USD336 million in Q1 2022 and USD0.24 respectively. The stock closed up 2.3 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, Intercos advanced 3.4 percent to EUR16.02 per share. The board of directors reported Thursday that the company in the first quarter reported revenues of EUR234.6 million, up 34 percent from EUR174.6 million in the same period of 2022. Group adjusted Ebitda stood at EUR29.8 million, up 56 percent from EUR19.1 million as of March 31, 2022.

Good buying also on WIIT, which closed ahead 2.4 percent ending for the third session in a row on the bullish side.

Anima Holding - in the green by 1.2 percent - reported Friday that it closed the first quarter with net income essentially unchanged year-on-year, at EUR30.2 million from EUR30.3 million in the same period a year earlier.

Among the few bearish performers is GVS, which closed down 0.3 percent following up its eve's loss with 2.2 percent.

On the Small-Cap Bioera advanced more than 13 percent to EUR0.1120, following eve's decline with 7.1 percent.

Geox, on the other hand, picked up 8.1%, rearing its head again after three negative sessions.

TXT e-solutions - in the green by 0.9% reported Friday that it bought 29,403 of its own ordinary shares in the days between April 11 and 21. The price charged was about EUR19.50 per share, for a total of EUR568,439.66.

Banca Profilo--up 1.4 percent--reported Friday that it closed the first quarter with a net profit of EUR6.2 million, up 20 percent or EUR1.0 million from last year's first quarter result.

Among SMEs, Deodato advances more than 10%, bringing its new price to EUR0.9780 and taking the lead in the list.

Fope, on the other hand, marks a plus 5.5 percent, trailing the eve's green also with 5.5 percent.

Caribbean Company - down 0.8 percent - reported that consolidated revenues as of March 31, 2023 stood at about EUR13.0 million, up more than 18 percent from EUR11.0 million in the first quarter of the previous year.

GM Leather, on the other hand, gave up 6.4 percent and bringing its new price to EUR1.60 per share.

In New York, the Dow Jones is advancing 1.2 percent, the Nasdaq is in the green by 1.8 percent, and the S&P 500 is picking up 1.5 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.1018 versus USD1.1005 at Thursday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.260337 from USD1.2572 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD75.23 per barrel versus USD72.39 per barrel on Thursday evening. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD2,012.88 an ounce from USD2,049.67 an ounce at Thursday's close.

On Monday's macroeconomic calendar, Japan's Services PMI is due at 0230 CEST, while at 0800 CEST it will be the turn of Germany's industrial production. At 1030 CEST the sentix of investor confidence from the Eurozone is due.

In the afternoon, consumer inflation expectations arrive from the US at 1700 CEST.

On Monday's economic calendar, quarterly reports from Banca Monte dei Paschi, Banco BPM, Nusco, PharmaNutra, Toscana Aeroporti and Valsoia are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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