(Alliance News) - Major European stock markets close mixed on Monday, as eyes remain on tensions in the Middle East and markets await the Fed decision due mid-week.

Thus, the FTSE Mib closes in the green 0.1 percent to 34,296.31, Mid-Cap rises 1.0 percent to 47,603.18, Small-Cap picks up 1.4 percent to 29,080.39, and Italy Growth closes up 0.6 percent to 8,225.54.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 ends in the green by 0.1 percent, Frankfurt's DAX 40 is down 0.2 percent, as is Paris' CAC 40.

"The week beginning tomorrow becomes very interesting, not only because of the numerous macro data scheduled, but especially because of the Fed's decision. While it is true that forecasts seem discounted toward a no-deal, we will be curious to hear Jerome Powell who we hope will give some indication as to when the Fed should start cutting the cost of money," commented Saverio Berlinzani, senior analyst at ActivTrades.

"It should not be forgotten that this is also the week of the ADP and NFP, or labor market data. But there is more because investors also await the ISM manufacturing and services PMIs, along with JOLT data, foreign trade data, allindustry orders and the consumer confidence index. In addition, first quarter GDP growth rates for France, Spain, Germany, Italy and the Eurozone will be released."

In macroeconomic news, consumer price inflation in Germany is expected to remain stable in April, provisional data from the Federal Statistical Office showed Monday.

The consumer price index is expected to rise 2.2 percent annually in April, unchanged from March and down from the 2.5 percent increase in February and 2.9 percent increase in January. This is the slowest pace of inflation in Germany since April 2021.

Back in Italy, on the Mib, A2A leads the list and closes in the green by 4.6 percent.

ERG also does well, in the green by 2.4 percent. The company announced Wednesday that it has finalized, through its subsidiary ERG USA Holding, the closing with Apex Clean Energy Holdings for the acquisition of 75 percent of the portfolio consisting of a wind and a solar plant in the U.S., both in operation, totaling 317 MW of installed capacity and an estimated production of about 1 TWh.

The company explained that the transaction is the ERG Group's first step into the overseas renewables market and represents a unique opportunity to continue the growth of the business portfolio, increasing its geographical and technological diversification.

Iveco Group -- in the green by 2.6 percent -- announced Monday that FPT Industrial has signed a global partnership agreement with Longen Power on the export of engines to different regions of the world, starting a new chapter of cooperation.

FPT Industrial is an Iveco Group brand dedicated to the design, manufacture and sale of powertrains and solutions for on-road and off-road vehicles, as well as marine and power generation applications.

Amplifon rises 0.7 percent after announcing Monday that it has completed the acquisition of Hearing Instruments, and Precision Hearing Aid, two companies owned by one of Miracle-Ear's leading franchisees to which about 35 stores in the U.S., the world's largest hearing care market, belong.

The acquired stores are located in Pennsylvania, generate annual sales of about USD20 million and employ about 80 people.

Going down Tenaris gives up 0.6 percent. On Thursday the company reported results for the first quarter of the year, which ended with a profit of USD750 million, down from USD1.13 billion in the first quarter of 2023. Revenues rose to USD3.44 billion from USD4.14 billion in the same period.

Among the bearish performers were STMicroelectronics, down 1.3 percent, and banks UniCredit and BPM, down 1.2 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.

On the cadet segment, d'Amico International Shipping rises 6.2 percent. The company announced Friday that its Irish operating subsidiary d'Amico Tankers DAC has entered into a construction contract with Jiangsu New Yangzi Shipbuilding, China, for the purchase of two additional new LR1 'Long Range' tankers -- 75,000 deadweight tons -- at a contract price of USD56.2 million each.

Saras rises 0.2 percent. The company announced Friday that, in connection with Vitol's prospective acquisition of a representative stake of about 35 percent of Saras' share capital, the Prime Minister's Office issued a decree regarding the exercise of special powers - golden power - "containing prescriptions that do not impede the completion of the transaction."

Therefore, the statement says, one of the related conditions precedent for the completion of the transaction is fulfilled.

Webuild - in the green by 5.4 percent - announced Monday that its U.S. subsidiary Lane has been awarded the USD110 million contract in the U.S. for the construction of the Newsport News section of the "I-64 HREL highway project in the city of Hampton, Virginia.

The new contract follows the recent announcement of the acquisition in Florida of the USD299 million project, also 100% Lane, to widen the Seminole Expressway/SR 417.

Among smallcaps, Itway - in the red by 1.4 percent - ended 2023 with a pretax loss of EUR481,000 from one of EUR362,000 as of Dec. 31, 2022, while net loss was EUR330,000 from one of EUR348,000.

Revenues for the period stood at EUR49.1 million from EUR46.7 million in 2022.

Elica--up 1.1 percent--on Wednesday signaled that it will start a new buyback plan from April 26 for a maximum number of buyable shares of 1 million.

Among SMEs, Caribbean Company advances 2.9 percent. The company reported Thursday that revenues for the first three months rose 4.2% year-on-year to EUR11.7 million from EUR11.2 million in the same period a year earlier.

Poligrafici Printing -- down 1.6 percent -- reported Wednesday that it ended 2023 with consolidated revenues of EUR24.1 million from EUR28.0 million as of Dec. 31, 2022.

Consolidated profit for the year was EUR1.5 million from EUR2.4 million in 2022. The company proposed to pay a dividend of EUR0.03 per share from EUR0.0295 in 2022.

In New York, the Dow is in the green by 0.2%, the Nasdaq is up 0.1%, as is the S&P 500.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0716 from USD1.0677 on Friday in closing European equities while the pound is worth USD1.2551 from USD1.2452 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD87.22 a barrel from USD89.37 a barrel Friday night and gold trades at USD2,349.25 an ounce from USD2,339.86 an ounce Friday night.

Tuesday's macroeconomic calendar opens at 0100 CEST with the BRC index of British retail prices.

At 0150 CEST from Japan comes industrial production data, while at 0330 CEST in China the Composite PMI index and the index for the manufacturing sector are released.

In France at 0730 CEST it is the turn of GDP, while at 0800 CEST Germany releases data on the import price index and retail sales, and again in France at 0845 CEST inflation data are released.

At 0900 CEST in Spain GDP is released, which in Italy and Germany is released an hour later.

At 0955 CEST in Germany the unemployment figure is released.

In the UK, at 1030 CEST, mortgage data is released, and at 1100 CEST in Italy it is the turn of inflation data, as well as for the Eurozone.

In the afternoon, overseas, at 1500 CEST, housing price data are released in the US.

Among companies listed in Piazza Affari, results from BasicNet, FAE Technology, Seri Industrial and Stellantis, among others, are expected.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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