(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari closed higher in Monday's trading, the first of the second half, as trading resumed after a positive first half of the year for world indexes.

The indexes rose despite declines in manufacturing activity reported today. Also in the afternoon came negative news for the U.S. manufacturing sector, where manufacturing activity weakened in June, according to two surveys released Monday, as new orders continued to decline.

S&P Global's manufacturing PMI fell to 46.3 points in June from 48.4 points in May, dropping further below the neutral threshold of 50.0.

"The index thus signaled the steepest decline in operating conditions in 2023 so far, as the recent downturn intensified. Manufacturing performance has deteriorated in seven of the last eight months," S&P Global said.

The Institute for Supply Management's PMI also provided a negative reading, falling to 46.0 points in June from 46.9 points in May.

The FTSE Mib closed Monday up 0.8 percent to 28,446.90, the Mid-Cap fell 0.3 percent to 42,598.87, the Small-Cap rose 0.1 percent to 42,598.87, and Italy Growth lost 0.2 percent to 9,060.94.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 closed down 0.1 percent as did Paris' CAC 40 while Frankfurt's DAX 40 lost 0.5 percent.

On the highest-capitalization list in Piazza Affari, all investors' eyes turned to Generali, up 3.4 percent, after Delfin of the Del Vecchio family was allowed by IVASS to rise from its current 10 percent to a potential 20 percent in the Trieste-based lion, and with ally Caltagirone having arrived at 9.9 percent in Mediobanca, the pincer of the two big losers in April 2022 is strengthened considerably.

The request to be allowed to go up to 20 percent had been made by Delfin last April 17, when, following a buyback, the holding company founded by the late Leonardo Del Vecchio found itself involuntarily just above 10 percent, The independent supervisory authority gave the green light, so now Delfin will be able to invest more capital in Generali, which is capitalized EUR30 billion on the stock market, thanks in part to today's maxi rise.

Prysmian Group lost 0.7 percent after announcing Monday that it had won a new contract awarded by Ørsted Wind Power A/S to supply inter-array submarine cables for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm, located 160 km off the English Yorkshire coast.

When completed, the park will be able to supply clean, renewable electricity to more than three million homes.

DiaSorin lost 1.9 percent. The Court of Appeal of Milan ordered the suspension of the administrative interdiction sanction imposed on CEO Carlo Rosa by Consob "for the alleged unlawful communication of privileged information related to the completion of the studies for the launch of the serological test for the diagnosis and identification of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2," according to the company's note.

Therefore, "Rosa can immediately resume his functions of administration, management and control of the company. This order was issued as part of the appeal proceedings brought by Rosa in order to obtain the full annulment of the ruling by Consob."

Il Tempo reported in recent hours that Telecom Italia, up 0.9 percent, and one of its managers in particular, Eugenio Santagata, had listened in on the phone calls of more than 400 individuals without being authorized.

In the article signed by Luigi Bisignani, we read that the Copasir has launched a fact-finding investigation following a passage in the book written by Paolo Madron and Bisignani himself, "I potenti al tempo di Giorgia," which reports 400 names that could "be spied on with dossier activity attached."

TIM responded with a brief statement, "Regarding press rumors insinuating an illegitimate use of the tool of wiretapping by TIM, the company clarifies that the mandatory services to the Judicial Authority were not the subject of the hearing, as already clarified by Copasir, and that TIM acts in full compliance with the rules and procedures in force."

On the Mid-Cap, Salvatore Ferragamo lost 0.7 percent after announcing on Friday that Alessandro Corsi, the company's CFO and manager in charge of drafting corporate accounting documents, has resigned and will terminate his employment with the company on Sept. 30 to take on a new professional challenge.

Juventus Football Club gained 2.5 percent after reaching an agreement with Lille Olympique Sporting Club for the outright acquisition of the right to the sporting services of footballer Timothy Weah for a consideration of EUR10.3 million, payable in two fiscal years, plus ancillary charges up to a maximum of EUR1.0 million.

In addition, bonuses of up to a maximum of EUR2.1 million are expected upon the fulfillment of certain sporting goals or conditions.

Sesa closed down 0.1 percent. The company announced that it has signed an industrial partnership and acquisition agreement, through its wholly owned subsidiary Var Group, for a 51 percent stake in Wise Security Global, thereby strengthening its distinctive digital security expertise.

Wise Security - with offices in Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Pamplona and Zaragoza and a staff of 120 human resources - specializes in cybersecurity, providing cyber security services and internally developed Definitive ID and Digital Evidence solutions based on Blockchain technology, with a customer set of leading enterprise and banking and insurance clients.

Among thinly capitalized companies, Risanamento gained 2.6 percent after the deeds related to the Project Starfighter transaction concerning the transfer of the entire development area called Milano Santa Giulia-except what has already been sold to Esselunga and the CTS Eventim group-were finalized at a consideration of EUR648 million in line with fair market value, to the closed-end mutual investment fund managed by "Lendlease Italy Società di Gestione del Risparmio, which will be responsible for the real estate development, under the Integrated Intervention Plan, of the remaining building area of 385.091 square meters for mixed use, complementing the approximately 265,000 square meters already built in the southern area near Rogoredo station.

Technoprobe rose 1.3 percent after signing a binding offer to acquire 100 percent of the capital of Harbor Electronics, a company specializing in the production of printed circuit boards for the testing market from the group headed by Shenzhen Fastprint Circuit Tech.

Under the terms of the offer, which includes a 30-day exclusivity period to finalize and sign the final acquisition agreement, Technoprobe will pay a total amount of approximately USD50 million net of any adjustments related to changes in the target company's cash holdings.

On the alternative capital market of Piazza Affari, SG Company -- up 0.7 percent -- announced on Monday that it had finalized the closing of the transaction to acquire a majority stake in FMA's share capital and officially began integration and collaboration activities between the companies.

AATech gained 50 percent on its debut on Piazza Affari Monday after a EUR1.6 million IPO, becoming the 12th company to land on the Italian stock exchange since the beginning of the year.

AATechis an Italian venture tech builder operating in the fintech and energy transition sectors. The company, through a process of continuous innovation, identifies new technologies in these sectors, with the intent, after their validation, to develop them as stand-alone companies.

In New York, where markets close mid-session for the Independence Day eve, the Dow falls 0.1 percent to 34,383.98, the Nasdaq rises 0.1 percent to 13,802.66, and the S&P 500 is tied at 4,450.21.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0910 versus USD1.0916 on Friday in closing European equities. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2691 from USD1.2712 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD75.41 per barrel versus USD74.95 per barrel at Friday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,925.89 an ounce from USD1,915.37 an ounce Friday night.

Monday's macroeconomic calendar, devoid of insights from the U.S., where markets will remain closed, includes the release of data on the German trade balance at 0800 CEST, Spanish unemployment at 0900 CEST, and the Italian government deficit at 1000 CEST.

Among companies in the Piazza Affari, no special events are expected.

By Giuseppe Fabio Ciccomascolo, Alliance News senior reporter

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