(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari on Thursday closed higher, placing the point bar in the 30,400 area -- in line with the trend of other European exchanges -- after trading rooms carefully evaluated the latest FOMC minutes. The Eccles Building minutes showed a willingness to cut interest rates this year, although no information was provided on the timing.

Among the economic data, consumer price inflation in Germany -- Europe's top economy -- rose to 3.7 percent year-on-year in December, up from the previous month's more than two-year low of 3.2 percent and aligning with market consensus, as the preliminary estimate provided by Destatis showed.

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The FTSE Mib closed up 1.1 percent to 30,403.96, the Mid-Cap rose 1.0 percent to 43,873.75, the Small-Cap gained 0.4 percent to 27,941.12, and Italy Growth closed up 0.3 percent to 8,303.29.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 closed up 0.5 percent as did Paris' CAC 40 and Frankfurt's DAX 40.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Leonardo closed up 5.7 percent, with new price at EUR16.33 per share. Of note, Bernstein upgraded the stock to 'outperform' from 'market perform'.

Good buying also on Saipem, which raised the bar 3.2% to EUR1.53. On the stock to mention that Capital Fund Management cut its short position to 0.87 percent from 0.93 percent.

Banco BPM, on the other hand, closed ahead 4.1%, on its fourth consecutive bullish candle.

High quarters also for BPER Banca, which posted a plus 3.1 percent after eve's 0.6 percent decline.

Among the bearish few, STMicroelectronics left 3.9% on the parterre, marking its fifth straight session on the bearish side.

On the Mid-Cap, De' Longhi led the price up 3.1% with new price at EUR29.60, rebounding after Wednesday's 6.0% decline.

d'Amico rose 1.8 percent the day after it announced it had taken over 50,000 shares of Tamburi Investment Partners, which closed up 1.1 percent. The total consideration was about EUR460,000.

Caltagirone, on the other hand, rallied 1.9 percent, after two sessions closed on a bearish trend.

Among the bearish minority, OVS left 1.7 percent on the parterre, placing itself on the bearish side for the third session in a row.

Prevailing sellers, among others, included Juventus FC, which closed down 0.2% in the wake of Wednesday's 0.3% decline.

Among small-cap companies, Enervit closed ahead 3.2 percent after two sessions ended among the bearish.

Avio, on the other hand, rallied 3.3 percent, after closing in the red by 1.9 percent on the eve.

Good purchases were also made on Giglio Group, which brought home a gain of 0.9 percent, rearing its head after four bearish sessions.

At the back of the pack, Netweek gave up 2.4 percent, after the 4.2 percent green with which it closed Wednesday night.

In contrast, algoWatt closed down 0.4 percent at EUR0.2760. The smallcap on Wednesday reported that it has been awarded a grant of about EUR351,000 for Digital Energy Service Provider activities on the project "SIESTA - Secure Interactive Environments for SensiTive data Analytics," funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe program. The SIESTA project, with a total duration of 36 months and EU funding of approximately EUR5.0 million, is coordinated by the Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.

Among SMEs, Energy closed up more than 16 percent with new price at EUR2.14 per share, after two sessions closed in the red.

CleanBnB, on the other hand, rallied plus 7.0%, pending results due for publication on Monday.

Circle - up 1.5 percent - reported that its subsidiary Magellan Circle has been awarded the Horizon Europe Foremast project for a modal shift from road to sea transport using prototype automated, small, flexible, zero-emission vessels. Circle will receive EUR235,000 over 36 months. In addition to Magellan Circle, 15 partners from nine European countries are also taking part in the initiative.

Illa closed down 9.6 percent after ordinary shares were regrouped at the ratio of one new ordinary share, no par value, for every 1,000 existing ordinary shares, no par value, without reducing the total amount of share capital.

Instead, G Rent closed down 6.7 percent at EUR0.69 per share, after two bullish sessions.

In New York, the Dow advances 0.7 percent, the Nasdaq rises 0.1 percent, and the S&P 500 is green by 0.3 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0956 versus USD1.0915 recorded at Wednesday's European stock close while the pound is worth USD1.2790 from USD1.2646 last night.

Brent crude is worth USD76.74 per barrel versus USD77.97 per barrel at Wednesday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,044.62 an ounce from USD2,034.61 an ounce last night.

Friday's macroeconomic calendar awaits, at 0130 CET, Japan's services PMI, while at 0800 CET it is the turn of the Halifax index of house prices and retail sales in Germany. At 0930 CET from Italy and Gaermania will come construction PMI data, followed at 1000 CET by Italian inflation.

At 1030 CET it will be the turn of the UK construction PMI, followed at 1100 CET by car registrations in Germany. Also at 1100 CET, Eurozone inflation is published along with producer price data.

From the US, at 1430 CET, will come the nonfarm payrolls report and the unemployment rate. At 1600 CET, it is the turn of the durable goods report, at 1900 CET the Baker Hughes data, and at 2130 CET, as usual on Friday, it will be the turn of the COT Report.

Among the companies listed on the Stock Exchange, no particular announcements are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News senior reporter

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