(Alliance News) - On Friday, major European stock markets are expected to fall on a quiet morning on the macro front, but where people are already looking ahead to central bankers' speeches from the Jackson Hole symposium.

Thus, IG futures give the FTSE Mib in the red by 0.1 percent or down 17.5 points, after closing down 0.6 percent at 28,072.12.

Paris' CAC 40 is expected to be in the red 25.9 points or down 0.4 percent, Frankfurt's DAX 40 is given in the red 0.4 percent or down 61.3 points, and London's FTSE 100 is expected down 3.5 points or down 0.1 percent.

On the other listings in Milan, the Mid-Cap fell 0.4 percent to 41,024.58, the Small-Cap was in the red 0.1 percent to 26,815.75, while Italy Growth closed just below par at 8,833.33.

In macroeconomic news, the German economy showed no growth in the second quarter, Destatis reported Friday.

Germany's gross domestic product has remained flat for the past three months compared to the first quarter. The figure is in line with the statistics agency's previous estimate from late July.

In late May, it was confirmed that Germany has fallen into a technical recession, following two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth in late 2022 and early 2023. GDP contracted by 0.1 percent in both the fourth and first quarters.

From Japan, service price inflation rose to an annual 1.7 percent in July. In June, prices had risen 1.4 percent year-on-year.

Separately, the Japan Bureau of Statistics said consumer price inflation in Tokyo fell to 2.9% year-on-year in August from 3.2% in July. The figure was below FXStreet's market consensus estimate of 3.0%.

On the blue chip list, acquired on Italgas, which brought home a green of 0.5 percent after a 1.5 percent green on the eve.

ERG, which topped the list with a green of 1.1% on the heels of eve's 3.5% gain.

Boost also on Campari, which advanced 0.2% to EUR11.80 per share on the heels of eve's 1.6% green.

Terna rose 0.3%. The company reported Tuesday that electricity demand in Italy totaled 30.1 billion kWh in July, registering a 3.3% decrease compared to the same period in 2022. In July, 85.6 percent of Italy's electricity demand was met by domestic production and the remaining 14.4 percent by the balance of energy traded with foreign countries. Net domestic production was 25.9 billion kWh, down 2.7 percent from July 2022.

Among the few bearish performers, the worst performer was Iveco, which posted a minus 4.1 percent, bringing the price back to the EUR8.28 area.

Saipem, on the other hand, gave up 1.4 percent, marking its third session on the bearish side.

On the Mid-Cap, Acea advanced 2.0%, in its third session closed on the bullish side.

Good buys also on Iren, which brought acasa a 1.1% gain, after 2.9% gain on the eve of the session.

Also good was Zignago Vetro, which posted a plus 0.1% at EUR15.18 per share.

Salcef Group - down 1.2% - reported Wednesday that its subsidiary Salcef won the tender called by ANAS - of the FS Italiane group - for the construction of one of the key projects for the Jubilee 2025 in Rome. Specifically, the project involves the burying of the existing road system in Piazza Pia through the extension by about 130 meters of the existing underpass built as part of the Jubilee 2000 works. Thanks to this intervention, a continuous pedestrian path will materialize between the area in front of Castel Sant'Angelo and Via della Conciliazione, resulting in an improved usability of a stretch now affected by intense vehicular flow. The contract amount is approximately EUR35 million.

On the Small-Cap, Trevi Finanziaria Industriale advanced 7.4 percent, rebounding after six sessions closed among the declines.

Alkemy advanced 0.4 percent to EUR10.06 per share, on the heels of a 0.8 percent gain on the eve of the session.

At the back of the pack, Restart contracted 0.9 percent, following Wednesday night's 2.2 percent gain.

Netweek, on the other hand, gave up 1.7 percent, after the previous session's 1.5 percent green. The stock had previously come from three bearish sessions.

Among SMEs, Deodato.Gallery advanced 6.3 percent, with new price at EUR0.54.

In contrast, Ambromobiliare advanced 3.9 percent, in its third bullish session.

Solutions Capital Management SIM - flat at EUR2.50 - announced Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with an insurance intermediary to refer professionals interested in signing collaboration contracts to distribute insurance products on behalf of SCM. The company believes that the expansion of the sales force will be able to make a positive contribution to the company's results in the medium term, following a major increase in the commission base supported by a slight increase in structural costs.

Innovatec gave up 0.8 percent. On the stock it is mentioned that Modefinance, an Italian rating agency registered with ESMA, has confirmed the public 'B1+' rating to the creditworthiness. "This rating - equivalent, on the basis of the current mapping, to the 'BBB+' rating of the main international rating agencies - represents a higher score than the minimum required to consider the company's issues investment grade," the company explained in a note.

At the tail end, among the many bearish performers, Portobello leaves 8.6 percent on the parterre marking the third consecutive session with a bearish balance.

In Asia, the Nikkei has given up 2.1 percent to 31,624.28, the Hang Seng is losing 1.2 percent to 17,998.45, and the Shanghai Composite is down 0.9 percent to 3,055.00.

In New York on Thursday, the Dow Jones closed 1.1 percent in the red at 34,099.42, the S&P finished down 1.4 percent at 4,376.31, while the Nasdaq lost 1.9 percent to 13,463.97.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0787 against USD1.0829 on Thursday in closing European equities while the pound was worth USD1.2579 from USD1.2632 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD83.80 per barrel versus USD83.19 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD1,941.65 an ounce from USD1,921.03 an ounce on Thursday evening.

Friday's economic calendar features a speech by European Central Bank number Christine Lagarde at 1300 CEST at the Jackson Hole symposium, where Powell will speak at 1605 CEST.

At 1900 CEST, again from the US, focus on the Baker Hughes data while, at 2230 CEST, as usual on Fridays, the COT Report is scheduled to be released.

On the corporate calendar in the Piazza Affari, no special events are scheduled.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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