(Alliance News) - On Friday, Milan closed the week as the best performer among European listings, closing above 26,400.

"While U.S. markets rallied this week, European markets slowed. The enthusiasm of the beginning of the year seems to have given way to some caution in view of next week's triple central bank meeting and the outlook that will be drawn by the Federal Reserve, the ECB and the Bank of England and, most importantly, how many more rate hikes we can expect after next week," commented Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets.

"After yesterday's strong rally, U.S. markets initially opened lower after the latest economic data showed a consumer beginning to retreat, and personal spending contracted in November and December. The losses proved temporary after the latest University of Michigan Inflation Expectations Survey showed a softening in the outlook for both the one-year and five- to 10-year levels, falling to 3.9 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively."

Thus, the FTSE Mib closes up 0.8 percent to 26,435.75, the Mid-Cap up 0.5 percent to 43,450.33, the Small-Cap rises 0.3 percent to 29,680.23, and Italy Growth gains 0.4 percent to 9,644.74.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 rises 0.1 percent to 7,765.15, Paris' CAC 40 is fractionally in the red at 7,093.77 and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is up 0.1 percent to 15,143.09.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Saipem closes on top with a 4.3 percent gain. Fashion also does well, with Moncler following with a 2.7 percent gain.

STMicroelectronics rounds out the podium and rises 2.4 percent, the 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 percent 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 percent 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, sits at the bottom marking a 1.4 percent decline, preceded by Telecom Italia, down 0.6 percent.

In the cadet segment, Safilo gives up 8.7 percent to EUR1.45. The board of directors said it reviewed some of the key preliminary figures for fiscal 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 amount to EUR245.4 million, up 5.7 percent from EUR232.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Piaggio, on the other hand, rises 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 reported for all of 2021.

The board of directors of Salvatore Ferragamo -- in the green by 1.9 percent -- announced Thursday that it reported fiscal year 2022 revenues amounting to EUR1.25 billion from EUR1.13 billion in the same period last year.

De' Longhi gives 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 purchase 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 ends on the losing side by 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 closes unchanged at EUR2.00 per share, after announcing that it has signed a preliminary partnership agreement with tech company Epico Play aimed at the creation of unreleased and exclusive audiovisual content mainly in the world of sports entertainment.

Epico Play is a technology company that develops digital solutions and engaging editorial content in the world of sports and entertainment, and boasts among its roster of clients high-profile sports clubs and leagues.

Destination Italia and Portale Sardegna online travel agency, which specializes in the incoming tourism sector in destinations in Sardinia, Puglia, Sicily and the rest of Italy, both listed on Euronext Growth Milan, announced that their respective boards of directors, meeting today, approved the joint plan to merge Portale Sardegna into Destination Italia.

For Destination Italia, the closing rise is 2.3 percent, while Portale Sardegna closes up 5.7 percent..

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 at the height of trading Friday, the Dow is in the red 0.1 percent at 33,924.32, the Nasdaq is up 0.3 percent at 11,550.94, and the S&P 500 is in fractional green at 4,060.90.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0857 versus USD1.0086 at Thursday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2374 from USD1.2355 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD86.78 per barrel from USD87.70 per barrel on Thursday evening. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD1,931.10 an ounce from USD1,935.44 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 Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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