(Alliance News) - On Friday, European stock markets--according to futures--are expected to open higher, extending gains from the previous session, as investors appear to ignore aggressive signals from central bank officials this week.

The European Central Bank acknowledged progress on inflation, but said it is too early to discuss an easing of monetary policy, according to minutes of the last meeting. Trading rooms will assess key data from across Europe and new remarks from ECB President Christine Lagarde, as well as further comments from economic and political leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Among the economic data, the annual inflation rate in Japan slowed to 2.6 percent in December from 2.8 percent in the previous month, marking the lowest level since July 2022.The data were released Friday by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The core inflation rate fell to 2.3 percent, the lowest in 18 months, from 2.5 percent in November, in line with consensus, but remained outside the Bank of Japan's 2 percent target for the 21st month.

?Thus, futures on the FTSE Mib are trading up 125.00 points.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is expected up 48.60 points, Paris' CAC 40 is expected up 39.80 points while Frankfurt's DAX 40 is expected to open up 77.50 points.

Among the smaller lists last night, the Mid-Cap finished down 0.1 percent at 44,041.72, the Small-Cap in the green 0.3 percent at 27,428.45 and Italy Growth closed ahead 0.2 percent at 8,230.82.

On the Mib last night, Stellantis closed up 1.0%. The group reported a down December, with sales down 15 percent for the month compared to the same month a year earlier, but closed the full year 2023 up 3.7 percent year-on-year. The merged FCA and PSA group's market share reached 13.0 percent in December from 14.7 percent in December 2022 while, for the full year, the share fell to 16.6 percent from 18.2 percent in 2022.

Banco BPM -- up 1.3 percent -- announced on Wednesday that it had concluded or the placement of a new EUR750 million, 6-year Coverd Bond issue aimed at institutional investors under its EUR10 billion covered bond program. This is the first European Covered Bond issue issued by Banco BPM during 2024.

STMicroelectronics, up 3.7 percent, finishes at the top, followed by BPER Bank, UniCredit and Nexi, which all finish between 3.5 and 2.4 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, Danieli & C closed at the top, up 3.0%, after it announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with other companies and institutions to implement an integrated industrial project in the municipality of Piombino.

Tinexta followed with a 2.4 percent rise after announcing Thursday that it had finalized, through its subsidiary Warrant Hub Spa, the closing on the acquisition of a 73.9 percent stake in ABF Group SAS.

The deal was finalized in line with the terms of the agreement, which was announced in mid-December 14, specifically through the payment of an amount of EUR72.5 million, paid by Warrant Hub in cash.

Banca Popolare di Sondrio also did well, moving ahead 2.3 percent at the end of the session.

Webuild - in the red by 2.8 percent - announced Wednesday that it will carry out interventions for the EUR4.7 billion ski destination of Trojena, Saudi Arabia.

Lottomatica Group finished down 2.8 percent. Gamma Intermediate reported Thursday that it had completed the placement of 16 million ordinary shares of Lottomatica, representing 6.4 percent of the latter's share capital.

The shares were sold at EUR9.50 each, for a total consideration of EUR152 million. After the accelerated book building transaction, Gamma now holds 65.4 percent of Lottomatica's capital.

In addition, the shareholder has agreed to a 90-day lock-up on its remaining shares in the company.

On the Small-Cap, Itway closed down 1.8 percent. Continuing its growth and expansion plans, the company announced Wednesday that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Rafiflow in OT Cyber Resiliency. Radiflow, founded in 2009 and based in Tel Aviv, offers solutions successfully used by major industrial and utility companies that protect more than 6,000 critical facilities worldwide.

Safilo Group, in the red by 0.4 percent, announced Tuesday that it and Aeffe have proceeded with the early renewal of the global license agreement for the Moschino and Love Moschino eyewear collections until December 2033.

Among SMEs, Racing Force closed up 0.8 percent after announcing Thursday its wide-ranging partnership with Team Brady, owned by U.S. football star Tom Brady, which from this year will race in the new UIM E1 World Championship, the first electric powerboat series. For this competitive endeavor, Team Brady has chosen OMP, Bell Racing and Racing Spirit products, brands of the group.

Sia - flat at EUR7.85 - announced on Thursday that it had successfully participated in a tender called by a leading multinational company operating in the power generation and distribution sectors for the assignment of the real estate business line dedicated to the redevelopment of Italian real estate assets, with a total estimated value of more than EUR1 million.

expert.ai ended up 7.0 percent after announcing Thursday that it has been awarded the public tender called by Consip for "Digital Health - Information Systems" with a contract potential corresponding to a maximum value of EUR10 million for the period 2024-2027.

Fope - in the red by 5.6 percent - reported Wednesday that it ended fiscal year 2023 with consolidated net revenues of EUR66.8 million, registering growth of EUR4.61 million, or 7.4 percent, compared to the same period in 2022.

In New York on European night, the Dow rallied 0.5 percent, the Nasdaq put up 1.4 percent, and the S&P 500 closed up 0.9 percent.

Among Asian exchanges, the Hang Seng approached a 0.8 percent red close, the Nikkei picked up 1.4 percent, while the Shanghai Composite left 0.5 percent on the parterre.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0877 against USD1.0863 recorded at Thursday's European stock close, while the pound is worth USD1.2680 from USD1.2685 last night.

Brent crude is worth USD79.01 per barrel versus USD78.61 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,024.86 an ounce from USD2,014.35 an ounce last night.

On Friday's macroeconomic calendar, ECB President Christine Lagarde will speak at 1100 CET.

In the afternoon, from the US, the five-year inflation forecast and the Michigan Confidence Index will come out at 1600 CET.

In Piazza Affari, the half-year results of I Grandi Viaggi are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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