(Alliance News) - European stock markets--according to the futures market--are expected to open higher Monday, with an easing of mobility limits in China bolstering confidence as the new week begins. However, grim virus infection figures from one Chinese province served as a reminder of the risks the country faces as it reopens.

"The U-turn in China's Covid policy is the consequence of rising stock returns. So with the lifting of China/HK/Macao border restrictions and the reopening of international travel, local travelers are not the only ones in a celebratory mood, but so are investors," commented Stephen Innes, analyst for SPI Asset Management.

China on Sunday lifted quarantine requirements for inbound travelers, ending nearly three years of self-imposed isolation, even as the country battles a wave of Covid cases.

The first people to arrive expressed relief at not having to undergo the grueling quarantines that were a fixture in China.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is up 15 points after closing in the green 1.4 percent at 25,180.35 Friday night.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is up 24.70 points, London's FTSE 100 is up 22.00 points, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is advancing 62.00 points.

Among Italy's smaller lists on Friday evening, the Mid-Cap closed in the green 0.6 percent to 40,865.91, the Small-Cap finished up 0.5 percent to 28,448.78, while the Italy Growth closed up 0.2 percent to 9,409.37.

On the main list in Piazza Affari on Friday, Saipem pulled away from everyone with 6.2 percent. The public group, controlled by Eni, "comes from a difficult year, after the correction on the order book, profit warnings and recapitalization, which, however, did not question the industrial value of a company that knows how to stay in the market," commented Francesco Bonazzi on Alliance News.

Stellantis finished up 0.7 percent. The company reaffirmed its commitment to growing its data and connected services offering by launching Mobilisights, a new independent business unit. Its new offering, Mobilisights, is designed to grow the company's data as a service business and develop and license business-to-business products, applications and services. The new unit will leverage Stellantis' connected vehicle data, which is expected to reach 34 million by 2030.

Hera closed in the green by 1.4 percent after announcing Thursday EUR150 million in district heating investments over the 2023-2026 period. Of these, three Hera Group projects dedicated to district heating -- in Bologna, Ferrara, and Forlì -- were awarded funding under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, "Green Revolution and Ecological Transition" mission, totaling nearly EUR50 million.

Terna finished up 2.1 percent after signing an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the capital of Edyna Transmission, an Alperia Group company dedicated to the transmission sector that owns 34 km of high-voltage power lines and two power stations in South Tyrol. The assets are already part of the national electricity transmission grid and were taken over by Terna for a total value of about EUR14 million. The deal is subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions precedent.

Only three were bearish. DiaSorin, which gave up 0.6 percent, Mediobanca closed 0.1 percent in the red, and Azimut, in fractional red.

On the Mid-Cap, Tinexta, Brembo, and Fincantieri took the podium, rising between 2.5 percent and 2.3 percent.

PharmaNutra rallied 0.2 percent. The company announced the signing of three new international commercial agreements for the distribution of products from the SiderAL and Cetilar lines in the Indonesian Republic, Kuwait, and Mexico. With the signing of these new contracts, the PharmaNutra Group currently has 47 distributors in 70 countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Carel Industries closed up 0.9 percent. The company on Wednesday made it known that it no longer qualifies as an "SME," Small and Medium Enterprise. Same fate for CIR, in the green by 1.0 percent.

On the Small-Cap, algoWatt led the list with a 21 percent rise, followed by Seri Industrial, in second with more than 11 percent.

Aeroporto Guglielmo Marconi Di Bologna rose 0.3 percent after reporting that air traffic trends in 2022 have gradually improved, starting in the spring, with the end of the emergency phase and travel restrictions.

Civitanavi Systems closed in the black by 1.9 percent. The company announced that it has signed a ruling agreement with the Internal Revenue Service that will allow the company to have access to the Patent Box tax benefit for intellectual property for patents and know-how. The tax benefit for the five-year period 2017-2021 will be accounted for in the fiscal year 2022 and the quantification will take place when the financial statements are prepared.

Among SMEs, Clabo remained in the high quarters and closed up 5.5 percent after letting it be known on Wednesday that its U.S. subsidiary Howard McCray concluded two commercial agreements worth a total of USD750,000, or EUR710,000, with 2 retail chains operating within the HoReCa channel.

At the top, however, were Neurosoft and Fenix Entertainment, which closed up 33% and 21%.

Bifire gave up 4.2 percent. On Thursday it disclosed that it purchased 17,500 shares of its own common stock between Jan. 2 and Jan. 5. The shares were taken over at an average price per unit of EUR2.6234, for a total value of just over EUR45,909.90.

In New York on Friday evening, the Dow Jones closed up 2.1 percent, the S&P up 2.3 percent, and the Nasdaq picked up 2.6 percent.

In Asia, the Hang Seng is up 1.9 percent, while the Shanghai Composite is in the green by 0.6 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0691 against USD1.0619 at Friday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2162 from USD1.2063 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD80.00 a barrel from USD79.61 a barrel Friday night. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,880.37 an ounce from USD1,862.74 an ounce Friday night.

On Monday's economic calendar, the monthly unemployment rate will be released at 1000 CET in Italy, a figure that will also come an hour later from the Eurozone.

In the afternoon, the US is scheduled to hold a Treasury bond auction at 1730 CET.

On Monday, the Tokyo Stock Exchange will be closed for Coming of Age Day.

As for Piazza Affari, Brunello Cucinelli's results are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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