(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari -- as well as other European stock markets -- opened higher Thursday after the U.S. debt ceiling bill passed a vote in the House of Representatives.

The House approved a debt ceiling and a package of budget cuts as Speaker Joe Biden and President Kevin McCarthy brought together a bipartisan coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans to move the approval process forward, which now awaits the green light from the Senate.

In Milan, therefore, the FTSE Mib rises 1.3 percent to 26,375.91.

Among the smaller listings, the Mid-Cap is down 0.9% to 42,193.01, the Small-Cap is in the green 0.8% to 27,266.91, and Italy Growth is up 0.1% to 9,094.73.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is advancing 0.4 percent, Paris' CAC 40 is up 0.8 percent as is Frankfurt's DAX 40.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, boost on Recordati stock, which rises 3.2% with new price at EUR41.93.

Amplifon, meanwhile, advances 2.4% after two sessions ended among the bearish.

UBS raised its recommendation on Banco BPM to Buy from neutral, with new target price to EUR5.00 from EUR4.30. The stock appreciates 0.9 percent.

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena--up 1.9 percent--on Thursday announced that rating agency Moody's has upgraded the outlook on long-term deposit and senior unsecured debt ratings from stable to positive, after raising the long-term deposit rating by two notches and the long-term senior unsecured rating by three notches in February.

On the cadet segment, GVS takes the top spot by advancing 2.0% to EUR5.90 per share, on the heels of eve's 0.1% gain.

Iren -- up 0.4 percent -- reported Wednesday that its subsidiary Ireti Spa had acquired a 2.4 percent stake in AcquaEnna from Cogen Spa, thus rising to 50.9 percent of the latter's capital, which will now be consolidated.

At the back of the pack, among the few bearish performers, is Intercos, which posted a minus 0.8 percent after Wednesday's timid 0.3 percent gain.

On the SmallCap, Aquafil is rallying 3.8% to EUR3.94 per share, rearing its head after two sessions on the bearish side.

TXT e-solutions--up 0.2 percent--reported Wednesday that it purchased 16,620 of its own ordinary shares in the days between May 22 and 26. The price charged was about EUR19.45 per share, for a total of EUR322,651.87.

SAES Getters -- in the money with 0.4 percent -- announced Wednesday that it has launched a tender offer for 1.4 million of its own savings shares. The takeover bid calls for a payment of EUR29.31 per savings share and is a component of a unitary transaction that also includes the mandatory conversion of the 6.0 million savings shares not purchased by the company through the takeover bid into ordinary shares of SAES Getters in the ratio of one to one.

Among SMEs, Go Internet pushes ahead 5.3 percent to EUR0.1015, reversing course after three sessions ended in a negative balance.

The board of directors of MeglioQuesto - up nearly 18 percent - reviewed the main consolidated economic and financial operating data as of March 31, a period that ended with revenues reaching EUR24.7 million, up 50 percent from EUR16.5 million as of March 31, 2022. Value of production was EUR25.0 million, up 48 percent from EUR16.9 million as of March 31, 2022.

Innovatec - down 1.7 percent - announced on Wednesday that its subsidiary Innovatec Power Srl and Selettra Illuminazione pubblica Srl in RTI were awarded four contracts worth a total of about EUR60 million and with a duration of 15 years, for the provision of services and integrated interventions aimed at upgrading and improving the energy efficiency of Buildings and Public Lighting Installations owned by several municipalities in the Salento area participating in the GROWS - Green Revolution Of Wealth in Salento project.

Crowdfundme instead gives up 3 percent, the subject of profit-taking after four sessions of rises.

In New York on European night, the Dow closed 0.4 percent in the red, the Nasdaq gave up 0.6 percent as did the S&P 500.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0669 versus USD1.0660 in Wednesday's European stock close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2417 from USD1.2407 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD72.97 per barrel versus USD72.96 per barrel last night. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,962.00 an ounce from USD1.2432 an ounce Wednesday night.

Thursday's macroeconomic calendar includes the release of manufacturing PMIs, from Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Eurozone and UK between 0915 CEST and 1030 CEST. The US one will come in the afternoon at 1600 CEST.

For the Eurozone, eyes are also on inflation, which will be released at 1100 CEST. In the morning, Italian unemployment data is also scheduled to be released at 1000 CEST, German retail sales at 0800 CEST, and the French government's budget balance at 0845 CEST.

In the US, focus also on jobless claims, due at 1430 CEST, and crude oil stocks data, due at 1700 CEST. The day will close with the Federal Reserve balance sheet and reserves data at the US central bank.

Among the companies in the Piazza Affari, no results are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News senior reporter

Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com

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