(Alliance News) - On Monday, major European stock markets confirm expectations ahead of the release of the Sentix index data of Eurozone investor confidence and on a day that continues quiet on the macroeconomic front, aided by the closure of U.S. stock exchanges for Labor Day.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is up 0.6 percent at 28,832.20, as is the Mid-Cap at 42,477.55, the Small-Cap is in the green 0.1 percent at 27,243.87 as is Italy Growth at 8,896.35.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is in the green by 0.5 percent, as is Frankfurt's DAX 40, while London's FTSE 100 is in the green by 0.6 percent.

"With U.S. markets closed for the annual Labor Day holiday, today is likely to be a relatively quiet day for European markets, even as we prepare for a period of important central bank meetings beginning this week with the RBA tomorrow and the Bank of Canada on Wednesday, although we can expect a positive opening after Asian markets rose on optimism about further measures by China to help its housing market," commented Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets.

"The August services PMIs are also due tomorrow, which should indicate a weakening in the services sector in both Europe and the UK, making further rate hikes by the ECB and BoE risky."

On the blue chip list, Telecom Italia tops the list and rises 1.4 percent. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena also does well, in the green by 1.0% while CNH Industrial - which before the opening informed of the continuation of its buyback program for about EUR1 million - drags the Agnelli Galaxy, rising 0.9% as well as Stellantis, while Ferrari gains 0.6%. The only discordant note for Iveco Group, which leaves 0.2% on the parterre at the opening.

Saipem gives up 0.6% at the opening, the only stock in the red. The company on Thursday had announced that it had successfully completed the placement of EUR500 million of senior unsecured guaranteed equity-linked bonds maturing in 2029.

Intesa Sanpaolo - in the green by 1.0 percent - on Thursday announced a cash tender offer to repurchase all or part of its perpetual "EUR750,000,000 Additional Tier 1 Notes" with a total outstanding nominal amount of EUR750 million and the launch of a new issue of a perpetual Additional Tier 1 fixed-rate reset bond with a nominal amount of not less than EUR750 million.

Terna - in the green by 0.3 percent - announced that Francesco Beccali, since Friday, Sept. 1 Director of Administration, Finance and Control - Chief Financial Officer - of the company, has also been designated Executive with Strategic Responsibilities.

On the Mid-Cap, Juventus continued the momentum seen on the Mib and rose 0.5 percent. The company announced that it has reached an agreement with FC Union Berlin for the outright free transfer of the rights to the sports performance of football player Leonardo Bonucci.

The transaction generates a negative economic impact on the 2022-2023 fiscal year of EUR5.6 million.

Webuild gives up 0.5 percent. The stock avoided sharp profit-taking after rising sharply on Thursday after Snowy Hydro, the developer of the Snowy 2.0 project in Australia - Australia's largest hydropower project, 100% owned by Webuild after its acquisition of Clough - announced Thursday morning that it was revising its contract.

Fincantieri rises 0.4 percent after announcing that it has completed the parallel modernization of two cruise ships for Crystal - A&K Travel Group - delivering Crystal Symphony in recent days.

The contract was finalized in December 2022, and after an initial phase dedicated to engineering development, work lasted for about five months significantly raising the level of services and accommodations on board.

Iren rises 0.1 percent. The board of directors on Wednesday co-opted Paolo Emilio Signorini and appointed him as the new chief executive officer and general manager, following Gianni Vittorio Armani's resignation on June 12.

The appointment follows the formal indication made by the union committee of Iren's public shareholders composed of Marco Bucci, mayor of Genoa; Stefano Lo Russo, mayor of Turin; and Luca Vecchi, mayor of Reggio Emilia.

Change at the top also for Piaggio--up 0.6 percent--with the heirs of Roberto Colaninno appointed CEO and chairman of the company.

Matteo Colaninno has been appointed executive chairman, with powers in substantial continuity with those previously given to him. Michele Colaninno, former Chief Executive of Global Strategy, Product, Marketing and Innovation, was appointed CEO.

On the Small-Cap, Itway rises 0.4 percent after reporting Friday that it has signed a partnership with CLoudian, a leading enterprise-class object storage software company.

As Itway explains, this partnership aims to further expand Itway's cyber security and cyber resilience offerings.

Itway Group expects revenues of EUR5 million in the next two years by operating in the service provider, public administration, healthcare, energy, education, banking and insurance sectors.

Aquafil gives up 0.5 percent. The company reported that it closed the first half of the year with a loss of EUR4.1 million from a profit of EUR17.7 million recorded in the same period of the previous year and a drop of 123%.

As of June 30, revenues stood at EUR311.1 million, down 11 percent from EUR351.0 million in 2022. Ebitda was worth EUR31.3 million from EUR51.5 million and down 39%. Ebit was EUR4.1 million from a negative EUR3.9 million as of June 30, 2022.

KME Group gives up 0.1 percent. The company, with reference to the three voluntary total takeover bids involving KME ordinary shares, KME savings shares, and warrants to 2024, respectively, announced on Wednesday evening that Germany's Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy had issued the authorization measure under the applicable local regulations on foreign investment control, i.e., golden power.

Among SMEs, eVISO gives up 2.5 percent. The company reported Thursday that it closed the year ended June 30 with revenues up to EUR225 million from EUR208 million a year earlier.

NVP is not yet affected by trading, but reported Friday that it has been awarded the tender to produce the Lega Serie C matches for the next three years.

The production of the matches will take place using innovative remote production technology at the Innovation Hub in Cologno.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed in the green 0.7 percent to 32,939.18, the Hang Seng gained 2.4 percent to 18,822.62, and the Shanghai Composite gained 1.4 percent to 3,177.06.

In New York on Friday, the Dow Jones closed in the green by 0.3 percent at 34,837.71, the S&P finished up 0.2 percent at 4,515.77, while the Nasdaq closed in the fractional red at 14,031.81. Today, stock exchanges remain closed for Labor Day.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0804 to USD1.0814 in Friday's European stock close while the pound was worth USD1.2624 to USD1.2622 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD88.64 per barrel versus USD88.22 per barrel at Friday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,969.85 an ounce from USD1,9372.25 an ounce Friday night.

The economic calendar for Monday -- a day when Wall Street will be closed for Labor Day -- includes the arrival of the Sentix index of Eurozone investor confidence data at 1030 CEST.

Spain's unemployment rate, on the other hand, will be released at 0900 CST.

On the bond front, France will hold auctions of three-, six- and 12-month BTFs at 1455 CEST.

Among the companies in the Piazza Affari, Valsoia's accounts are expected.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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