(Alliance News) - On Tuesday, major European stock markets closed the day higher driven by the release of some corporate earnings, while in the U.S. stock markets started trading mixed.

"European stock indexes followed in the footsteps of their Chinese counterparts, which rallied strongly on hopes of political support," says Axel Rudolph, Senior Market Analyst at online trading platform IG. Disappointing Eurozone retail sales-which posted the biggest drop in a year-dampened the European session in morning trading, but BP's better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings, falling inflation expectations in the euro area, and an unexpected rise in factory orders in Germany prompted late-day gains, led by the FTSE 100. U.S. indices had a mixed start to the session, although they traded near their recent all-time highs."

Thus, the FTSE Mib, closed up 0.5 percent to 31,116.75 points, the Mid-Cap rose 0.7 percent to 45,408.53, the Small-Cap finished in the green 0.4 percent to 27,585.59, and Italy Growth gave up 0.8 percent to 8,208.97.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 closed up 0.9 percent, Paris' CAC 40 rose 0.7 percent and Frankfurt's DAX 40 advanced 0.8 percent.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Pirelli, Amplifon and Leonardo topped the podium with rises of 4.2 percent, 4.0 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively.

Leonardo announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Military Industry. "The MoU covers broad areas in which Leonardo has well-established technological expertise, including space, helicopters, sensors and electronics, air combat, multi-domain integration, remotely piloted systems, digital technologies, services and industrialization processes," according to the press note.

Intesa Sanpaolo closed up 1.3 percent after reporting Tuesday that it posted a 76 percent increase in net income in 2023, "its best year ever, in which it saw impaired loans fall 9.7 percent.

The bank's net income rose to EUR7.72 billion or 76 percent from EUR4.38 billion a year earlier, with the fourth-quarter figure alone amounting to EUR1.60 billion.

The total proposed dividend per share for 2023 is 29.60 cents -- including 14.40 cents as interim dividend paid in November 2023 and 15.20 cents as proposed balance --, almost double the 16.39 cents paid for 2022.

UniCredit -- down 0.2 percent -- after its record accounts for 2023, announced Tuesday that it had purchased 4.2 million of its own shares between Jan. 29 and Feb. 2. The shares were taken over at an average price of EUR26.6711 for a total value of EUR113.2 million.

Badly FinecoBank, which closes 1.9 percent in the red after reporting Tuesday that it reported a 42 percent year-over-year increase in net income and revenues up 31 percent from 2022.

Net income improved to EUR609.1 million from EUR428.8 million in 2022 while revenues rose to EUR1.24 billion from EUR948.1 million.

Terna-which closed in the red by 0.7 percent-reported that the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security authorized by decree on January 31, 2024 the construction of the Adriatic Link, the undersea power line that will unite the Marche and Abruzzo regions.

"The infrastructure, for which we will invest around EUR1.3 billion, will increase the safety and resilience of the national transmission electricity grid and contribute to the achievement of the goals set out in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan, confirming Italy's role as a European and Mediterranean energy hub," said Giuseppina Di Foggia, Terna's CEO and general manager.

At the bottom ends Interpump, which gives up 6.9 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, Anima Holding gained 2.4 percent after announcing Tuesday the approval of its consolidated figures as of Dec. 31, in which the company reported consolidated net income of EUR149.3 million, up 24 percent from EUR120.8 million in the same period last year.

The board of directors proposed the distribution of a dividend of EUR0.25 per share from EUR0.22 last year.

On top was Ferretti, which closed up 7.5 percent followed by Lottomatica Group and Juventus, up 4.7 percent and 3.0 percent respectively.

Closing out the list are the B shares of MFE, in the red by 4.7 percent, and Alerion, which gives up 3.7 percent at the end of the day.

On the Small-Cap, Risanamento -- in the green by 6.4 percent -- reported Monday that it closed 2023 with a net profit of EUR10.6 million, which compares with a loss of EUR53.9 million in the previous year. Turnover rose to EUR595.6 million from EUR370 million while production value rose to EUR57.1 million from EUR2.5 million.

CIA, up 13 percent, Beewize, up 10 percent, and Italian ExhibitionGroup, in the green by 6.4 percent, finished on top.

Among SMEs, Elsa Solutions closed up 7.1 percent with price at EUR4.82 per share. The board of directors on Tuesday announced that it had approved pre-consolidated management revenues as of Dec. 31, with production value for the year 2023 amounting to about EUR19.2 million.

The increase was about 26 percent compared to the same period last year, and "confirms the company's growth trend that began in 2019," the company wrote in the note released

Doing better is only Reway Group, up 8.3 percent. The company announced Friday that the shareholders' meeting of Se.Gi., a 70 percent subsidiary, following the acquisition completed on Nov. 21, 2023, resolved to change the company's name to Gema Spa.

eVISO -- up 1.0 percent -- reported data provided by the Integrated Information System -- a public entity that manages information flows related to the electricity and gas markets -- on the annual consumption volumes of the electricity user base in the direct channel combined with eVISO in February.

Thus, annual consumption volumes related to direct customers coupled with eVISO as of February amounted to 382 GWh and equivalent to an annual turnover of more than EUR90 million, up 19 percent from the figures reported in December 2023, when they stood at 320 GWh.

Racing Force - down more than 15 percent - does worse than all after announcing Tuesday that it closed FY2023 with consolidated revenues of EUR62.6 million, up 6.4 percent from EUR58.9 million in FY2022. In the fourth quarter, consolidated revenues stood at EUR12.8 million, down slightly from EUR13.4 million in the same period last year.

Circle closed 0.8 percent in the red after announcing Monday that it had been awarded the Taurus project with Attilio Carmagnani AC Spa and Iroi Srl, receiving a EUR80,000 grant as lead partner.

The three companies will build an advanced platform for managing truck appointments to loading and unloading at the Carmagnani coastal depot.

In New York at the height of trading, the Dow Jones rises 0.1 percent, the S&P is in the fractional red, and the Nasdaq gives up 0.4 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0752 against USD1.0733 recorded in Monday's European stock close, while the pound is worth USD1.2591 from USD1.2528 on Monday evening.

Brent crude is worth USD78.72 per barrel versus USD77.38 per barrel at Monday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,038.65 an ounce from USD2,021.59 an ounce on Monday evening.

Wednesday's economic calendar opens at 0600 CET in Japan with the coincident indicator of the economy and the predictive index.

At 0745 CET Switzerland's unemployment rate will come out and at 0800 CET the Halifax index of house prices in the UK and, in Germany, data on industrial production.

At 0845 CET, data on exports and imports, the trade balance, and nonfarm payrolls are due out from France.

At 1000 CET Italian retail sales will come out, and at 1100 CET the UK Treasury Gilt auction will be held.

In the afternoon, the usual mortgage data from the US are due out at 1300 CET and, at 1430 CET, the trade balance.

The same data will also come out at the same time in Canada while from the US will come, at1630 CET, US crude oil stocks.

In Piazza Affari, the results of BPER Bank and Intred are expected.

By Chiara Bruschi, Alliance News reporter

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