(Alliance News) - Europe's major stock markets remain firmly above parity mid-day Thursday, with Piazza Affari benefiting from the good results of a number of listed companies, while the countdown to the ECB's decision on raising its benchmark rates, scheduled for 1415 CEST, has begun.

Meanwhile, Istat reported that consumer confidence in Italy fell slightly in July while business confidence improved.

Consumer sentiment declined to 106.7 points in July from 108.6 points in June while the market was expecting a less marked decline to 107.8 points.

The FTSE Mib rose 1.2 percent to 29,340.85, the Mid-Cap advanced 1.1 percent to 42,553.02, the Small-Cap rose 0.8 percent to 26,991.99, and Italy Growth was up 0.3 percent to 9,096.23.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 rises with 0.3 percent, the CAC 40 is up 1.3 percent and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is in the green is 0.9 percent.

On the highest-capitalization list in Piazza Affari, Moncler remains well placed at the top with a 4.4 percent rise after reporting Wednesday that it closed the first half of the year with a net profit of EUR145.4 million, down from EUR211.3 in the same period last year, which, however, included an extraordinary tax benefit of EUR92.3 million related to the acquisition of Stone Island.

Revenues rose 24% to EUR1.14 billion from EUR918.4 million, with Moncler's up to EUR935.0 million or 29% year-on-year and Stone Island's up to EUR201.6 million or 5% year-on-year. In the second quarter alone, Moncler's revenues were up 32% and those of the subsidiary up 5%.

High quarters also for Stellantis, up 3.2 percent after announcing Wednesday that it posted net income of EUR10.92 billion in the first half of the year, up 37 percent from the first half of 2022, when it was EUR7.96 billion.

Net sales for the period amounted to EUR98.37 billion, up 12 percent from EUR88.00 billion in the same period of 2022.

Hera also did well in the green with 1.4 percent. The company reported Wednesday that net income rose to EUR208.0 million as of June 30, up 3.1% from EUR201.7 million in the first half of 2022, with a tax rate of 27%.

In the first half of the year, Hera's revenues amounted to EUR8.3 billion compared to EUR8.9 billion as of June 30, 2022, mainly due to lower energy commodity prices and lower gas volumes sold related to the mild weather in the first part of the year

Saipem recovers after a red opening and is now flat at EUR1.48. It reported Wednesday that it closed the first half with a profit of EUR40 million compared with a loss of EUR130 million in the same period of 2022.

Infrastrutture Wireless Italiane gives up 1.0 percent after approving figures for the second quarter of the year and the first half of the year on Wednesday, which were in line with guidance.

In this period, revenues amounted to EUR471.2 million, up 13 percent from EUR417.7 million as of June 30, 2022.

Net income stood at EUR163.7 million from EUR142.0 million in the same period last year and up 15 percent.

Enel climbs 1.1 percent after reporting Wednesday that it ended the first half with net ordinary income up 52 percent year-on-year -- to EUR3.28 billion from EUR2.16 billion -- despite falling revenues.

Net income rose to EUR2.51 billion from EUR1.69 billion a year earlier or 49 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, Brembo -- up 2.2 percent -- reported Thursday that it closed the first half with revenues up 12 percent year-on-year to EUR1.95 billion from EUR1.75 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Piaggio & C. picks up 2.0 percent after reporting Thursday that it closed the first half with revenues of EUR1.17 billion, the highest ever for the period, up 11 percent from EUR1.05 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Operating profit grew 37 percent to EUR117.6 million from EUR85.8 million and pretax profit improved 35 percent to EUR98.2 million from EUR72.9 million.

The Vespa company's net income grew to EUR64.8 million from EUR45.2 mln or 43%.

Fincantieri stands at plus 1.3 percent after reporting Wednesday that it closed the first half with revenues of EUR3.67 billion compared to EUR3.51 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Tod's gives up 1.2 percent. It disclosed Wednesday that total revenues in the first half of the year amounted to EUR569.1 million, up 22 percent from EUR467.5 million in the same period a year earlier.

All of the group's brands posted solid double-digit revenue growth in the first half of the year.

Among the small-cap companies, Exprivia is flat at EUR1.58 per share. The company announced that the Italian government has decided not to exercise its Golden Power in connection with the takeover bid for Abaco3 Spa.

This was announced on Wednesday by the executive itself.

Fiera Milano -- in the green by 1.9 percent -- announced on Wednesday that it had approved its results as of June 30, having reported a net profit of EUR25.7 million from EUR5.3 million in the same period last year.

In the first half, consolidated revenues amounted to EUR132.2 million from EUR116.2 million as of June 30, 2022.

Among SMEs on the Italian stock exchange, Relatech advances 2.4 percent after reporting Thursday that it closed the first half with revenues up 89 percent year-on-year to EUR48 million from EUR25.4 million in the same period a year earlier.

The share of recurring revenues stood at EUR18 million or so, up 112% from EUR8.6 million as of June 30, 2022, and accounted for 38% of revenues from consolidated sales. Overseas revenues are EUR13 million approximately, up 58% from the same period last year.

Casta Diva Group rises 1.4 percent after rallying 3.5 percent at the opening. It reported Thursday that its production value for the first half of the year amounted to EUR52 million, up 25 percent from EUR42 million in the same period a year earlier.

Pattern is in the green by 2.0%. The company announced Wednesday that it had finalized the acquisition of 30 percent of Dyloan Bond Factory, a subsidiary in which Pattern already held 70 percent.

The agreed lump sum price is EUR4.0 million, based on Dyloan's valuation under the 2022 investment agreement.

The board of directors of Marzocchi Pompe - up 1.6 percent - approved preliminary consolidated figures for the first half of the year on Wednesday, reporting consolidated net revenues of EUR26.6 million, up 4.4 percent from the first half of 2022, when they were EUR25.5 million, and up nearly 16 percent from the second half of last year.

Racing Force - in the green by 1.0 percent - reported Thursday that it ended the first half of the year with revenues up 11 percent year-on-year to EUR37.2 million from EUR33.6 million in the same period last year.

In New York overnight Europe, the Dow closed in the green by 0.2 percent at 35,520.12, the Nasdaq in the red by 0.1 percent at 14,127.28, and the S&P 500 finished just below par at 4,566.75.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed up 0.7 percent at 32,891.16, the Shanghai Composite ended 0.2 percent in the red at 3,216.67 and the Hang Seng finished 1.4 percent in the green at 19,639.11.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.1131 against USD1.1067 on Wednesday in closing European equities while the pound was worth USD1.2969 from USD1.2924 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD83.72 per barrel versus USD83.19 per barrel at Wednesday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD1,974.92 an ounce from USD1,964.65 an ounce on Wednesday evening.

Thursday's macroeconomic calendar calls for the ECB's rate announcement at 1415 CEST, followed by the lecture by the president, Christine Lagarde, half an hour later.

From the US, will come data on Gross Domestic Product, goods orders and jobless claims, all at 1430 CEST, and the Fed's balance sheet, at 2230 CEST. In the afternoon, at 1730 CEST, four- and eight-week T-Notes will be auctioned while seven-year T-Notes will be offered at 1900 CEST.

By Chiara Bruschi, Alliance News reporter

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