(Alliance News) - European exchanges closed in the green on Thursday, with good weekly unemployment data from the U.S. providing some support, although trading rooms remain concerned that the end of China's "zero-Covid" policy could lead to more cases around the world and trigger other restrictions on a global basis.

On monetary policy, regarding possible moves by the Federal Reserve, on the CME Group platform's FedWatch Tool -- using futures also based on the actual federal funds rate, or EFFR -- the main rate hike for the Feb. 1, 2023 meeting has a 71 percent probability priced in on the upper range of 450/475 bps. In contrast, 29 percent have a probability of an increase in the 475/500 bps area.

Among commodities, traders assess Russia's ban on oil sales to countries and companies that support the ceiling to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Russia on Tuesday issued a decree to ban oil sales to countries and companies that comply with a ceiling agreed to by Western countries in response to Moscow's offensive in Ukraine. The decree will be in effect from Feb. 1 to July 1.

Thus, the FTSE Mib closed in the green 1.2 percent to 24,056.55, the Mid-Cap up 1.4 percent to 39,801.85, the Small-Cap up 0.7 percent to 27,727.38 while Italy Growth closed up 0.7 percent to 9,244.54.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 climbs 1.0 percent, London's FTSE 100 rises 0.2 percent, while Frankfurt's DAX 40 closes up 1.1 percent.

On the main list of Piazza Affari, DiaSorin moves well with a 4.1% gain after the red of the previous two sessions.

Good session also for Telecom Italia, which makes a bullish move of 2.9% on the heels of eve's gain, albeit with 0.2%.

Eni--green by 0.6 percent--reported Thursday that Plenitude, through its U.S. subsidiary Eni New Energy US, has acquired the 81 MW Kellam photovoltaic plant located in North Texas, 50 miles from the Dallas Fort Worth metropolitan complex. The plant, divested from Hanwha Qcells USA, joins other assets in Texas and the rest of the United States in Plenitude's portfolio, which with this transaction reaches an installed capacity of 878 MW in the U.S. market. The plant is built on more than 150 hectares of land and the energy produced will be sold to a local power company.

UniCredit, on the other hand, closes down 0.1 percent after announcing Thursday that it has completed a new securitization transaction of a portfolio of consumer loans originated by the bank with a total size of about EUR850 million in recent days. Senior and mezzanine tranches of the notes issued by the securitization vehicle were purchased by the European Investment Bank for a total value of EUR700 million and by the European Investment Fund for an additional EUR50 million against UniCredit's commitment to provide additional credit of an equal amount over the next 36 months to Italian small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-cap companies.

Among the few that traded the entire session down, Buzzi Unicem recovered on the close, rising 0.1 percent, after trading up 0.6 percent on the eve of the session.

In the cadet segment, Tinexta closed up 5.7 percent. The stock showed unusually high volume, with more than 135,000 pieces traded against a three-month average of 45,000. made known Wednesday of the signing of a binding agreement to acquire a 20 percent stake in Defence Tech Holding Benefit Company through a wholly owned vehicle.

Seco, meanwhile, rises 4.4 percent, rearing its head again after two bearish sessions.

Juventus FC rises 4.1 percent after announcing that the shareholders' meeting approved the financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2022, which closed with a loss for the year of EUR238.1 million ispared to a loss of EUR226.4 million in fiscal year 2020-21. The loss was covered by use of the share premium reserve. The meeting also viewed the consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2022, which showed a loss of EUR239.3 million from the EUR226.8 million loss in fiscal year 2020-21.

Among the few bearish performers, Antares gives up 1.5 percent, following the 1.1 percent decline on the eve of the meeting.

On the Small-Cap, PLC closed 3.3 percent higher. It is mentioned that the company last week approved the 2023-2027 business plan in which it expects EUR6.0 million in dividends and a gradually growing Ebitda driven by an increase in revenues - 2x to 2027 vs. 2023 - and a major scale effect of overhead costs, with end-of-plan targets of around EUR12-14 million thanks to the contribution of all business areas.

Services Italy, on the other hand, rises 7.6 percent, breaking a four-session bearish trend.

Among the bearish, Netweek, recovers the red seen during most of the session closing instead flat after the 2.6 percent gain in the previous session. The stock sits with price at EUR0.0380.

Itway--down 1.9 percent--reported Wednesday that subsidiary 4Science has been admitted to the Vienna Stock Exchange, where it makes its debut today. It has a market capitalization of EUR28.0 million, or a price per share of EUR4.0.

Among SMEs, Defence Tech Holding rises 14 percent, easily taking the head of the list.

Alfonsino, on the other hand, rises 8.4 percent. High trading volume is notable for this stock, with 60,000 traded compared to a three-month average of about 12,400.

In New York, the Dow Jones is in the green by 1.2 percent, the S&P rises with 1.9 percent, and the Nasdaq is picking up 2.7 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0665 versus USD1.0621 at Wednesday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2060 from USD1.2030 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD83.20 per barrel from USD82.66 per barrel on Wednesday evening. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,814.70 an ounce from USD1,812.50 an ounce on Wednesday evening.

On Friday's economic calendar, at 0800 CET, will come the national house price index for the UK while, at 0900 CET, it will be the turn of Spain's inflation.

In the afternoon, from the US, space will be given to the Baker Hughes report at 1900 CET while, at 2130 CET, as usual on Fridays, will come the COT Report.

Among the companies in the Piazza Affari, no particular announcements are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2022 Alliance News IS Italian Service Ltd. All rights reserved.