(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari Friday closed the session slightly higher, bringing the point bar to the 33,900 area, while among trading rooms there were renewed concerns about escalating tensions in the Middle East after Israel's attack on Iranian territory.
Investors, during the week, had the opportunity to assess interesting from the economic as well as different words from several central bank members, with the Fed appearing much further along the path of interest rate cuts than the ECB.
The FTSE Mib thus closed in the green by 0.1 percent at 33,922.16. The Mid-Cap gave up 0.8 percent to 46,041.75, the Small-Cap lost 0.6 percent to 27,803.66and Italy Growth was in the green by 0.3 percent to 8,051.09.
In Europe, London's FTSE 100 closed in the green by 0.2 percent, Paris' CAC 40 closed just below par, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 gave up 0.6 percent.
On the Mib, good session for Terna, which closed advancing 2.2 percent after closing the previous session just below par.
Unipol, on the other hand, raised the bar by 1.4 percent, closing for the third session in a row with a bullish candle.
Saipem closed down 2.1 percent, abetted by tensions between Israel and Iran. The other oil companies, Tenaris and Eni, also lost ground with 1.0% and 0.2% respectively.
Doing worse than all is STMicroelectronics, which left 2.3% on the parterre, after 1.2% red on the eve.
Stellantis, on the other hand, gave up 0.5%. The company reported that sales fell in Europe in March, in line with the negative trend in European market performance, where registrations fell 5.2% year-on-year. As data from ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, showed on Thursday, the merged PSA Groupe and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles giant posted an 8.7 percent drop to March 2023, with market share down to 16.5 percent in March from 17.6 percent in March 2023.
On the Mid-Cap, Digital Value closed with a bullish candle for the third consecutive session, marking a 2.5 percent green.
Also ahead was MFE, with class A and B shares closing up 1.1 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively. The group's fiscal year 2023 financial results, approved by the board of directors on Wednesday, are well above the company's estimates from the beginning of the year. Net income - excluding the accounting impact arising in the two fiscal years from the contribution of the shareholding in Prosiebensat1 - is positive at EUR217.5 million, up 18 percent from EUR184.7 million in 2022.
OVS -- up 2.2 percent -- reported Thursday that it ended the year ended Jan. 31, 2024 with a reported net profit of EUR52.4 million, up from EUR39.6 million in the same period last year. The board of directors proposed a dividend of EUR0.07 from EUR0.06 as of Jan. 31, 2023. Net sales stood at EUR1.54 billion from EUR1.51 billion as of January 31, 2023.
Pharmanutra left 2.3 percent on the parterre, following up the eve's red with 1.5 percent.
Juventus Football Club - in the red by 3.2% - announced on Wednesday evening that, with reference to the arbitration judgment instituted by former player Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro against the company, the Arbitration Board has transmitted to the parties the award rendered in the dispute, providing that the company is obliged to pay a sum of approximately EUR9.8 million. The figure corresponds to half of the former member's demand of about EUR19.6 million.
On the Small-Cap, Bialetti Industrie climbed more than 14 percent after reporting that it ended 2023 with revenues up 6.1 percent to EUR141.2 million from EUR133.1 million a year earlier. Ebitda increased to EUR19.2 million from EUR16.1 million a year earlier while operating income rose to EUR14.9 million from EUR11.1 million in 2022.
Giglio.Group also had a good session, closing up 1.1 percent after falling 8.4 percent on the eve.
IGD dropped 0.3 percent after announcing Thursday that its board of directors, appointed earlier in the day by the shareholders' meeting for the three-year period 2024 - 2026, elected Antonio Rizzi as chairman of the board, Edy Gambetti as vice chairman, and Roberto Zoia as CEO and general manager.
Avio, on the other hand, gave up 4.3 percent to EUR10.82 per share, breaking the positive trend that lasted for five sessions.
Among SMEs, Eles rose 9.6 percent after it reported Thursday that ATS Engineering, SEMI Test Laboratory in Israel, an investee company of the group since 2019, announced that it has signed with iNPACK - PCB Technologies Company -, a joint venture to create the first Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly And Test in the Middle East.
Alfio Bardolla, on the other hand, rallied 6.4 percent, after a 4.2 percent decline on the eve.
Impianti left 9.4 percent on the parterre, on its fifth consecutive bearish candle.
FAE Technology, on the other hand, slipped 4.9 percent, on the heels of the previous session's 3.6 percent loss.
In New York, the Dow is advancing 0.5 percent, the Nasdaq is in the red by 1.1 percent, and the S&P 500 is down 0.4 percent.
Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0663 from USD1.0663 in Thursday's European stock close while the pound is worth USD1.2409 from USD1.2464 last night.
Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD87.17 a barrel from USD87.16 a barrel last night and gold trades at USD2,390.98 an ounce from USD2,379.05 an ounce Thursday night.
Monday's macro calendar includes the Central Bank of China's interest rate decision at 0315 CEST.
From the US, a 3-month and 6-month Treasury bond auction is scheduled instead.
Among companies, results from Generalfinance, Netweek, Saipem, Sogefi, and Vantea SMART are forthcoming.
By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News senior reporter
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