(Alliance News) - On Monday, major European stock markets -- with Milan on the rise -- are set for a positive opening according to IG futures, at the start of a busy week for interest rate announcements in the U.S., U.K. and Japan.

In the CME Group platform's FedWatch Tool, using futures also based on the actual federal funds rate, or EFFR, the rate confirmation at the June 14 meeting has a 74 percent probability for confirmation in the 500/525 bps range.

In contrast, the 25 bps rise in the 525/550 bps target is priced at 26%.

Thus, the FTSE Mib, after closing down 0.4 percent at 27,162.02 on Friday night, marks an upside of 105.00 points.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is up 39.00 points, Paris' CAC 40 is ahead 36.30 points, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is given up 71.90 points.

Friday night, among the smaller listings, Mid-Cap closed up 0.2 percent to 43,031.00, Small-Cap in the red 0.2 percent to 27,266.99, while Italy Growth gained 0.1 percent to 9,177.34.

On the main index in Piazza Affari on Friday, the oil sector went down with Eni giving up 1.0%, Tenaris losing 0.4% and Saipem being the second worst stock down 2.0%. Doing worse was only Monte dei Paschi di Siena, which retreated about 11%.

Azimut Holding - down 1.5 percent - reported Friday that it recorded positive net inflows of EUR89 million in May, bringing to EUR2.9 billion that recorded since the beginning of the year.

Total assets including assets under administration stood at EUR83.7 billion at the end of May, of which EUR57.0 billion refer to assets under management.

Italgas - in the green by 0.2 percent - and Veolia announced Friday that they had signed a contract to buy and sell the Veolia group's holdings in some companies active in water services in the regions of Lazio, Campania and Sicily, following negotiations announced in recent months.

Terna gained 0.1 percent after announcing that it has renewed its EUR9.00 billion Euro Medium Term Note bond issue program as the maximum amount that can be subscribed.

On the mid-cap, Salcef advanced 0.9 percent. The company announced Wednesday that subsidiaries Salcef Spa and Euroferroviaria Srlhave won the tender, called by RFI Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, for the renovation and extraordinary maintenance works to the railway equipment of the Perugia Ponte San Giovanni - Terni and Città di Castello - Sansepolcro sections, the former Ferrovia Centrale Umbra line. The tender, financed by PNRR funds, is worth EUR70 million and will affect a total of about 100 km of track.

Maire Tecnimont closed up 1.5 percent after announcing Friday that a consortium comprising subsidiary Tecnimont Spa, part of the Integrated E&C Solutions business unit, and Orascom Construction SAE has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction contract on a lump sum turnkey basis for a nitric acid and ammonium nitrate plant by KIMA - Egyptian Chemical Industries Company.

The total contract value for the consortium is USD300 million, of which Tecnimont is responsible for approximately USD220 million. Finalization of the contract is subject to the execution of the financing package.

Anima Group's net inflows of assets under management -- which closed in the red by 0.7 percent -- in May 2023 were positive by EUR63 million. At the end of May, total assets under management of the Anima Group stood at more than EUR183 billion.

Webuild - in the red by 1.0% - announced Tuesday that it has been awarded a new contract with a total value of EUR1.32 billion, on the Palermo-Catania high-capacity railway line in Sicily. The consortium will carry out the doubling of the Fiumetorto-Lercara Diramazione Lotto 1+2 section, which includes the executive design and construction of 30 kilometers of new line.

On the Small-Cap segment, Newlat Food -- in the green by 1.9 percent -- announced on Friday that it had sold 3.9 million of its own shares, equivalent to about 8.9 percent of the share capital, to a group of institutional investors, including Helikon Investments and Banor, at a price of EUR5.80 per share, which is basically in line with current market prices and the IPO price.

Mondo TV gained 0.6 percent after announcing Friday that it has signed an agreement with Thai company Cineplex for several animated series in its library. The agreement involves in flat fee and concerns pay and vod rights for 3 years.

Eems Italia closed in the green by 8.0 percent at the close of trading after reporting Friday that the new board of directors confirmed the president, Susanna Stefani, and the chief executive officer, Giuseppe De Giovanni, who will also be general manager. In addition, Michele Del Piero was appointed vice chairman of the board.

Eems Italia also approved the 2023-2027 business plan, which updates the one approved on Nov. 3, 2021, and provides for the startup and development of the business of electricity production from renewable sources, particularly photovoltaics, for which the company will become an independent power producer.

Among SMEs, eVISO--green by 1.8 percent--reported on Friday data provided by the Integrated Information System--a public body that manages information flows related to the electricity and gas markets--regarding the annual consumption volumes of the fleet of electricity users subscribed to eVISO in June. These data show a strong resumption of growth in electricity volumes handled by eVISO in terms of both direct customers and resellers.

The board of directors of Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment -- flat at EUR0.89 per share -- announced Friday that it had reviewed and approved the group's final results for the first quarter ended March 31, having reported a profit of EUR2.5 million from EUR3.3 million in the same period last year. On the revenue front, the quarter saw them at EUR32.5 million, up from EUR26.9 million as of March 31, 2022.

Società Editoriale il Fatto - down 3.9 percent - on Friday announced that it had appointed MiT SIM Spa as its new specialist effective July 3, replacing Banca Akros Spa, which will continue in the post until June 30.

FOS gave up 2.7 percent, after letting it know on Friday that the board of directors had initiated the buyback plan, which was thought to be worth up to EUR350,000.00. The board also appointed CEO Enrico Bottnuovo as the group's new interim CFO, replacing the current one, who has decided to pursue other professional opportunities.

In New York on Friday evening, the Dow closed in the green by 0.1 percent, the Nasdaq by 0.2 percent, and the S&P 500 was up 0.1 percent.

Among Asian exchanges, the Nikkei picked up 0.5 percent, while the Shanghai Composite is up 0.2 percent as is the Hang Seng.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0752 versus USD1.0770 at Friday's European stock close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2575 from USD1.2581 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD73.80 per barrel versus USD76.17 per barrel Friday night. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,959.34 an ounce from USD1,978.85 an ounce last night.

On Monday's overseas economic calendar, consumer inflation expectations from the US will be released at 1700 CEST.

Among the companies listed in Piazza Affari, the results of Homizy, Piquadro, Prismi and TrenDevice are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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