(Alliance News) - Major European stock exchanges hovered around the parity line on Friday, with investors continuing to monitor corporate results and taking a more cautious approach ahead of an important week for monetary policy.

The FOMC decision is scheduled for Wednesday, and the Federal Reserve is expected to reduce rate hikes to 25 basis points from 50 basis points in December, while both the BoE and the ECB are expected to continue a 50 basis point pace of increases.

As a result, the FTSE Mib is green by 0.2 percent to 26,261.65.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is in fractional red, Paris' CAC 40 is giving up 0.2 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is just above par.

Among the smaller lists, the Mid-Cap is in the red 0.1 percent to 43,196.46, the Small-Cap is giving up 0.2 percent to 29,534.31, and Italy Growth is giving up 0.1 percent to 9,598.50.

On the main list of Piazza Affari, Telecom Italia gives way, settling at EUR0.2530 with a 1.2% red following the previous three sessions that ended among the bearish.

Sales prevail - as in most of the list - for Interpump, which marks a minus 0.6% after the eve's green with 1.9%.

Leonardo, on the other hand, retreats 0.5 percent, placing the price at EUR9.51. The company received target price increases from Société Générale and Deutsche Bank in the previous day.

Among the positive notes was CNH Industrial, which rose 2.1 percent to EUR16.23. The stock touched a 52-week high at EUR16.34 and then retraced.

In the cadet segment, Safilo gives up 7.2% to EUR1.47.

Rear-ends also for Salvatore Ferragamo, which gives up 3.0 percent. The board of directors announced Thursday that it reported fiscal year 2022 revenues of EUR1.25 billion from EUR1.13 billion in the same period last year.

On the bullish side, mention is made of Cementir Holding, which picks up 2.8 percent pointing to its third session in a row to end among the bullish.

On the SmallCap, SS Lazio steps up, rising 2.9% setting a new price at EUR1.0, while Immsi advances 2.5% to EUR0.49, the new 52-week high.

At the tail end, Eems gives up 3.7%, although it should be mentioned the low price at EUR0.0420 and the volatility indicating on an annual basis a value of 78.

Among SMEs, however, the bullish side sees the assets of Deodato.Gallery up 5.5 percent, which made its Piazza Affari debut this Wednesday.

Destination Italia and Portale Sardegna online travel agency, which specializes in the incoming tourism sector in destinations in Sardinia, Puglia, Sicily and the rest of Italy, both listed on Euronext Growth Milan, announced that their respective boards of directors, meeting today, approved the joint plan to merge Portale Sardegna into Destination Italia.

For Destination Italia the rise is 1.9 percent, while Portale Sardegna still does not trade, with the price at EUR3.17.

In New York - on the European night - the Dow closed in the green by 0.6 percent, the Nasdaq up 1.8 percent, while the S&P 500 rose 1.1 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0886 versus USD1.0086 at Thursday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2375 from USD1.2355 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD88.00 per barrel from USD87.70 per barrel on Thursday evening.

Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,925.59 an ounce from USD1,935.44 an ounce last session.

Friday's economic calendar, in Europe, at 1000CET comes Italian industrial sales and M3 money supply data for the Eurozone.

At 1130 CET, there will be a speech by ECB President Christine Lagarde.

In the afternoon at 1430 CET, data on the PCE index, core personal spending and personal income arrive from overseas.

Among companies listed on the Stock Exchange, the results of Emak and Nice Footwear are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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