(Alliance News) - The FTSE Mib Index on Monday closed higher, setting the bar at 27,400 points. Trading rooms shrugged off fears of monetary policy tightening by the Fed while new data from the Eurozone due out this week should provide clues on the ECB's plans.

On the domestic data front, new Istat surveys showed that both consumer and business confidence were at elevated levels in February. In detail, the indicator rose to 104.0 from 100.9 in January, while the composite index of business confidence was unchanged at 109.1 from the previous month.

"Among the component series of the consumer confidence index, opinions on the general economic situation are improving markedly while mixed signals emerge from the variables referring to the household economic situation," Istat explained in a note

Thus, the FTSE Mib closed in the green 1.7 percent to 27,444.31, the Mid-Cap up 1.2 percent to 44,881.64, the Small-Cap up 1.1 percent to 30,225.17 and Italy Growth up 0.9 percent to 9,627.19.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 closed in the green by 1.5 percent, London's FTSE 100 up 0.7 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 finished up 1.1 percent.

On the main list of Piazza Affari almost entirely tinged with green, setting the pace was UniCredit, which led the price up 4.6 percent. As Francesco Bonazzi writes in Alliance News, "press rumors today raised the possibility of a closer alliance with Nexi, although it should be kept in mind that the payment systems giant works with many banks and this requires some independence."

The Piazza Gae Aulenti bank, which ended 2022 with a net profit of EUR5.2 billion - up 48 percent on 2021 - and net revenues of EUR18.4 billion up 13 percent, is also under market and shareholder scrutiny over the issue of its CEO's remuneration. Andrea Orcel is indeed expected to rise from EUR7.5 million to more than EUR10 million, an increase of more than a third.

Iveco h instead closed ahead 2.6 percent at EUR8.97. It should be mentioned that on the stock on Thursday Citadel Advisors raised its short position to 0.71 percent from 0.63 percent.

Nexi, on the other hand, rose 2.4 percent, with results to be released next week.

After the results Pirelli is in the green by 2.4%. Revenues in 2022 were EUR6.62 billion, above the target of EUR6.5 billion and up 24% from 2021, when they were EUR5.33 billion. Net income in 2022 was EUR435.9 million, up 36 percent from EUR321.6 million in 2021.

Among the bearish, Saipem left 0.7 percent on the parterre, positioning the price at EUR1.47 as it awaits results due to be published on Tuesday morning.

On the cadet segment, Brembo advanced 6.7 percent and closed for the third session in a row on the bullish side.

Well, also on this list, were the banks. Banca popolare di Sondrio rallied 3.1 percent, while Banca Monte dei Paschi stock appreciated 2.8 percent.

Anima Holding gained 0.9 percent after announcing that it has signed a binding contract to acquire an 80 percent stake in Castello SGR, a leading company in the promotion and management of alternative investment products mainly real estate based in Milan. The consideration is EUR60 million, which will be paid in full in cash.

Maire Tecninomt advanced 2.9 percent, hitting its new 52-week high of EUR3.86 closing at EUR3.85.

doValue gave up 0.1 percent after reporting Thursday its main results for the year ended Dec. 31, 2022, reporting a net profit including nonrecurring items of EUR16.5 million from EUR23.7 million in the same period of 2021 and marking a decline of more than 30 percent.

On the Small-Cap segment, Esprinet advanced by 6.7 percent. The company reported that it ended 2022 with revenues from customer contracts standing at EUR4.68 billion, broadly in line with the previous year's result. Gross trading margin was EUR243.8 million, up 5 percent from 2021, when it was EUR232.9 million, "substantially due to the increase in the percentage margin -- to 5.20 percent in 2022 versus 4.96 percent in the previous year -- a consequence of the higher incidence of high-margin product categories, which, in line with the group's strategy, increase their weight on revenues to 42 percent from 38 percent in 2021," the smallcap said.

KME Group, on the other hand, rallied 6.4 percent, on the heels of the previous session's green, albeit a tentative 0.6 percent.

Netweek rallied 2.0 percent after announcing Friday that it was proceeding with the expansion of the group's editorial coverage in the local TV station segment. Last January saw the launch of TVdA in the Aosta Valley on digital terrestrial channel 15. "A new regional generalist broadcaster branded Netweek full of local news, weather and webcams, in-depth coverage in the automotive, tourism and cooking sectors, and plenty of space dedicated to entertainment and local culture," the company explained in a note.

Among several negative notes, Bioera gave up 4.2 percent to EUR0.23, following up Friday's 4.0 percent red.

Among SMEs, High Quality Food closed 9.3 percent higher, following Friday's 1.9 percent green.

Officina Stellare jumps 20 percent, after announcing Monday the signing of a contract with Argotec to supply the first batch of a series of space telescopes for the multi-spectral, high-resolution Earth observation mission that will make up the Italian satellite constellation "Iride," for a total value of about EUR3.3 million.

Digital Value advances with a plus 5.8 percent after approving Friday the start of the project to list the company's shares on Euronext Milan, the regulated market organized and managed by Borsa Italiana Spa that caters to mid- and large-cap companies. The project will be submitted for approval at the next shareholders' meeting scheduled for April 5, 2023 on first call and April 6, 2023 on second call.

Imvest, on the other hand, gave up 3.3 percent. It should be noted that the shares, on a year-to-date basis, mark an asset of more than 30 percent.

Omer gave up 3.5 percent, after reviewing preliminary consolidated figures as of December 31, 2022 reporting a value of production of EUR63 million, up about 10 percent from EUR57.1 million in consolidated 2021. This change, the company explained, "is attributable both to the increase in production accruals of projects currently underway, and for which the related price revisions resulting from contractually stipulated formulas have been taken into account, and to the start-up during the year of some new production projects."

The board of directors of MeglioQuesto - down 4.4 percent - on Thursday evening reviewed the main consolidated and consolidated pro forma operating and financial data as of December 31, with the value of production in the range of EUR78.0 and EUR81.0 million, a double-digit increase of no less than 20 percent over the 2021 figure of EUR62.5 million.

In New York on Friday, the Dow is in the green by 0.2 percent, the Nasdaq rises with 0.8 percent, and the S&P 500 advances with 0.5 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0593 against USD1.0546 at Friday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2024 from USD1.1946 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD82.65 per barrel versus USD82.08 per barrel Friday night. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,815.51 an ounce from USD1,817.45 an ounce at Friday's close.

On Tuesday's macroeconomic calendar, Japan's industrial production is due at 0050 CET while at 0800 CET it will be the turn of the producer price index from Germany. At 1000 CET, from Italy, space is given to the Italian industrial sales figure and the non-EU trade balance.

From the States, at 1430 CET, eyes on the goods-only trade balance while, at 2230 CET, it will be the turn of weekly oil stocks.

Among companies in the Piazza Affari, results from Intesa Sanpolo, Jonix, Moncler, Omer and 4AIM Sicaf are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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