(Alliance News) - On Friday, Europe's major stock markets closed higher, boosted earlier in the morning by the Asian session, with "the Nikkei 225 at its highest level since 1990 ending the week up 4.8 percent."

"This momentum translated into the European session, with the German DAX taking up the gauntlet and posting a new all-time high above 16,300, with gains driven by optimism that markets will have one less thing to worry about next week given the impending success of the U.S. debt ceiling negotiations," commented Michael Hewson, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets.

"The FTSE100 was once again the laggard with weakness in the retail and construction sectors acting as a drag today. On the positives, the FTSE100 managed to close the week higher breaking a string of three consecutive weekly declines, but the gains were negligible compared to foreign peers this week," the analyst added.

Thus, the FTSE Mib closed in the green by 1.0 percent at 27,520.33.

Among the smaller listings, the Mid-Cap is up 0.8 percent to 43,458.27, the Small-Cap rises 0.2 percent to 27,994.63, and Italy Growth closes up 0.3 percent to 9,131.54.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 closed up 0.2 percent to 7,756.87, the CAC 40 ends in the green 0.7 percent to 7,500.95 and Frankfurt's DAX 40 ends the day up 0.8 percent to 16,291.29.

On the Mib, Interpump Group ends up 4.4 percent after announcing Thursday evening the acquisition of 100 percent of the capital of Waikato Group. The transaction price was set at around EUR30 million.

Terna - in the green by 1.5 percent - reported Friday that electricity demand in April was 23.4 billion kWh, a 4.3 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2022.

Saipem closes up 1.6 percent after announcing Thursday that it has been awarded two new offshore contracts, one for an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation project in the Black Sea and one for decommissioning activities in the North Sea. The total value of the contracts is about USD850 million.

Other oils also did well, with Eni picking up 0.8 percent and Tenaris rising 0.6 percent.

Banca BPER - following up on its agreements with AMCO - announced that it has concluded a transaction for the sale, for consideration, without recourse and en bloc, of a portfolio of Unlikely to Pay impaired loans of BPER Banca and its subsidiary Banco di Sardegna, to AMCO. The value is approximately EUR430 million. The stock closed up 0.2 percent.

On the cadet segment, Autogrill closed on top with 3.2 percent. Dufry announced that it holds about 87% of the company's shares after the conclusion of the May 18 takeover bid.

Fincantieri -- up 1.8 percent -- on Friday reported that the U.S. Department of Defense awarded Fincantieri's U.S. subsidiary, Marinette Marine (FMM), the contract to build the fourth "Constellation" class frigate, which is worth about USD526 million, for the U.S. Navy.

Juventus FC closes 0.6 percent in the red with the Turin team also saying goodbye to the Europa League after suffering a defeat at the hands of Sevilla.

On the Small-Cap, SIT-which closes 5.1 percent in the red and ranks at the bottom-approved Thursday its results as of March 31, 2023 reporting consolidated revenues of EUR83.6 million down 11 percent from EUR93.8 million in the first quarter of 2022.

On the other side of the list are CIA, up 5.8 percent, and Restart gaining 4.4 percent.

Among SMEs, Neosperience climbs 29% after announcing Friday that the extraordinary shareholders' meeting of Neosperience Health Spa, a 90% subsidiary of NSP, yesterday approved a capital increase aimed at listing on the U.S. capital market.

Doing better was only Prisms, which closed in the green by 50 percent. On Wednesday evening the company announced that its board of directors had accepted a binding proposal for investment in the company received from Medigest SA, Area 62 Srl and Tendercapital Alternative Funds PLC.

Specifically, the investors have committed to underwrite and release in cash two tranches of a capital increase in the company reserved for them for a total consideration of EUR700,000.

Still doing well is Italia Independent, which leads the way with nearly 20 percent. The stock is in its 17th straight session on the bullish side. In the past month, the stock has appreciated by more than 350 percent. It is worth mentioning that ten days ago, the Ivrea court handed down the judgments approving the restructuring agreements reached with its creditors by the company and its subsidiary Italia Independent. In addition, the court extended the effects of the restructuring agreements to non-party claims. In the reasons for the positive outcome, the judgments expressly pointed out that the group's path of reorganization initiated in June 2022 was only possible for both companies thanks to the contribution of external finance from the major shareholder, Lapo Elkann, in the amount of EUR12.8 million.

Digital360 follows with an 11 percent rise after announcing Friday that the founding shareholders have signed a binding investment agreement with private equity fund Three Hills Capital Partners, through TH Alessandro Srl, to promote a mandatory tender offer for the company's ordinary shares aimed at delisting.

OSAI Automation System gives up 2.9 percent. On Thursday evening it announced that it had acquired an order worth EUR3.7 million from a leading multinational group operating in the electric mobility sector

Health Italia - in the green by 0.3% - reported Thursday that first quarter revenues rose slightly to EUR8.7 million from EUR8.6 million in the same period a year earlier.

High Quality Food--which ends up 1.9 percent--reported Wednesday that its board had voted to increase its share capital.

In detail, an increase of EUR533,600 is reserved for Francesco Paltoni, who will hold 46 percent of HQF Agricola after the issuance of 456,068 new shares in HQF at EUR1.17 each; another EUR3.0 million aucap is reserved for institutional investors and strategic partners, who will receive 2.7 million shares in the company at a unit price of EUR1.11.

In New York, the Dow is in the red by 0.4 percent as is the Nasdaq while the S&P 500 gives up 0.2 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0815 versus USD1.0777 at Thursday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2461 from USD1.2425 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD75.78 per barrel versus USD76.04 per barrel on Thursday evening. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,983.17 an ounce from USD1,955.41 last night.

On Monday's macroeconomic calendar, at 0315 CEST the People's Bank of China will release the preferred interest rate and at 0830 CEST Swiss industrial production will come out.

At 1100 CEST, the Eurozone's March construction output figure is expected while French BTF auctions are scheduled for the afternoon at 1500 CEST.

In Piazza Affari, the quarterly results of Eles, GEL and Prismi are expected, along with the annuals of Agatos.

By Chiara Bruschi, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2023 Alliance News IS Italian Service Ltd. All rights reserved.