(Alliance News) - European stock markets-according to the futures market-are expected to open lower on Monday, with investors awaiting interest rate decisions this week from major central banks.

"The strong start to 2023 seems to have given way to a bit of caution for markets in Europe as we look ahead to the three central bank meetings this week and the kind of outlook painted by the Federal Reserve, the ECB and the Bank of England, and especially how many more rate hikes we can expect to see after next week," said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK.

Thus, the FTSE Mib marks a loss of 82.50 points, after closing up 0.8 percent at 26,435.75 Friday evening.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 falls 35.50 points, Paris' CAC 40 in the red by 23.80, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 marks a decline of 56.50 points.

Among the smaller lists on Friday evening, the Mid-Cap closed down 0.5 percent to 43,450.33, the Small-Cap rose 0.3 percent to 29,680.23, and Italy Growth gained 0.4 percent to 9,644.74.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Saipem closed on top with a 4.3 percent gain.

Fashion also did well, with Moncler following with a 2.7 percent gain.

STMicroelectronics closed the podium up 2.4 percent, a day after the release of preliminary revenue and earnings data for the last fiscal year and the last quarter, seeing all indicators rise in double digits.

Net revenue rose 24 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter, to USD4.24 billion from USD3.56 billion in the same period a year earlier, while, for the full year, it improved 26 percent to USD16.13 billion from USD12.76 billion a year earlier. Net income, up 66% in the quarter, to USD1.25 billion from USD750 million--with post-dilution operating profit at USD1.32 from USD0.82--while, in the full year, it rose 98% to USD3.96 billion from USD2.00 billion, with post-dilution earnings per share increased to USD4.19 from USD2.16.

Pirelli, on the other hand, sat at the bottom marking a 1.4 percent decline, preceded by Telecom Italia, down 0.6 percent.

In the cadet segment, Safilo gave up 8.7 percent to EUR1.45. The board of directors said it reviewed some of the key preliminary figures for fiscal year 2022, reporting revenues of EUR1.07 billion, up 11 percent from EUR969.6 million in the same period last year. In the fourth quarter of the year, preliminary net sales amounted to EUR245.4 million, up 5.7 percent from EUR232.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Piaggio, on the other hand, rose 3.6 percent. The Vespa company released preliminary figures for fiscal year 2022 on Thursday, reporting consolidated revenues as of December 31 of EUR2.09 billion, up 25 percent from the EUR1.67 billion recorded in all of 2021.

The board of directors of Salvatore Ferragamo -- in the green by 1.9 percent -- announced Thursday that it reported FY2022 revenues amounting to EUR1.25 billion from EUR1.13 billion in the same period last year.

De' Longhi gave up 2.6 percent after reporting Thursday consolidated FY2022 revenues of EUR3.16 billion, down 2.0 percent from FY2021 and 5.9 percent at constant exchange rates.

In the fourth quarter, the company specified in a note, revenues were about EUR1.03 billion, down 4.0%-or 7.0% at constant exchange rates-compared to the same period in 2021.

On the Small-Cap, Caleffi closed in the green by 0.5 percent, after announcing Friday that its board of directors resolved to buy from Giuliana Caleffi the remaining 30 percent of the share capital of its subsidiary Mirabello Carrara, a company specializing in the production, purchase and sale of home textiles under its own brands and under license from authoritative fashion brands, and to sign the related sale and purchase agreement.

The transaction involves the sale of 30 percent of Mirabello's share capital from Giuliana Caleffi to Caleffi for EUR1.5 million.

Emak finished at a loss of 5.6 percent, after announcing on Friday that it posted consolidated revenues of EUR606.6 million for fiscal year 2022 from EUR588.3 million in the same period of 2021, marking a growth of 3.1 percent.

Among SMEs, on the other hand, Fenix Entertainment closed unchanged at EUR2.00 per share, after announcing that it has signed a preliminary partnership agreement with tech company Epico Play aimed at creating unreleased and exclusive audiovisual content mainly in the world of sports entertainment.

ICF Group -- in the green by 4.6 percent -- on Thursday presented its preliminary consolidated results for the year ended Dec. 31, 2022, reporting revenues that came in at an estimated EUR88 million for the period, up 17 percent from when they amounted to EUR75.7 million in the same period last year.

Ebitda also rose, standing at an estimated EUR7.5 million, up more than 40 percent from EUR5.2 million in the previous year.

Labomar -- flat at EUR8.28 per share -- reported Thursday that it ended 2022 with preliminary consolidated group sales of around EUR92 million, up 42 percent from EUR65 million in 2021.

The 2021 figure, the company pointed out, included -- in addition to the values of Labomar and Entreprises ImportFab -- the turnover of the companies acquired during the year, namely Welcare Group from the second half of the year and Labiotre for the month of December only.

In New York on Friday evening, the Dow closed in the green by 0.1 percent, the Nasdaq up 1.0 percent, and the S&P 500 in the green by 0.3 percent.

Among Asian exchanges, the Shanghai Composite closed up 0.1%, the Hang Seng is giving up 2.4%, while the Nikkei closed up 0.2%.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0864 versus USD1.0857 at Friday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2393 from USD1.2374 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD86.21 per barrel from USD86.78 per barrel Friday night. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD1,931.15 an ounce from USD1,931.10 an ounce last session.

Monday's economic calendar opens at 0900 CET in Spain with inflation, producer price index and retail sales data.

At 1000 CET it is the turn of the non-EU trade balance for Italy.

At the same time comes Germany's GDP, while at 1100 CET it is the turn of Italy's producer price index.

Also at 1100 CET, it is the turn of the Eurozone Business and Consumer Survey, consumer confidence, consumer inflation expectations, and sentiment for the services and industrial sectors.

Among the companies listed in Piazza Affari, results from Clabo, Fervi, Rocket Sharing Company and UniCredit are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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