(Alliance News) - European exchanges on Thursday--according to the futures market--marked a bearish path, with fears about moves by major central banks and economic projections taking center stage inside trading rooms.

Falling Chinese exports--a figure indicative of global trade sentiment--caused concern about a global economic slowdown, and another central bank--that of Canada--opted a surprise interest rate hike, following what the Reserve Bank of Australia did earlier this week.

"With the prospect of further interest rate hikes due to the way sovereign yields have risen, this outlook acted as a drag on equity markets more broadly, even as U.S. markets ended the session mixed," said Michael Hewson of CMC Markets.

The FTSE Mib-after closing up 0.1 percent at 27,055.50 last night-is indicated by futures down 57.50 points.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 advances just above parity, Paris' CAC 40 gives up 26.80 points, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 marks a loss of 54.50 points.

Last night, the Mid-Cap rose 0.2 percent to 42,754.78, the Small-Cap gained 0.1 percent to 27,233.50, and Italy Growth lost 0.1 percent to 9,166.97.

On Piazza Affari's highest-capitalization list, the day after the hearing at Palazzo Chigi of Pirelli's Italian top management, led by Marco Tronchetti Provera, during which Tronchetti himself sounded the alarm about possible interference by Sinochem -- Bicocca's largest shareholder with 37 percent -- and the risk of a takeover, Pirelli's stock continued to be nervous, giving up 1.0 percent.

By the 23rd of this month, under penalty of forfeiture, the government led by Giorgia Meloni must announce whether or not it intends to use Golden Power. Accompanying Tronchetti Provera yesterday were administrative and civil lawyers of the caliber of Andrea Zoppini and Giulio Napolitano, son of former President of the Republic, Giorgio. And major law firms in Rome and Milan have been at work for the Chinese for weeks.

Eni gained 0.7 percent after subsidiary Plenitude announced that the new battery plant in Assemini, in the province of Cagliari, the first utility-scale plant built by the company in Italy, is operational.

UniCredit fell 1.2%. The bank on Tuesday successfully issued dual tranche covered bonds in a total amount of EUR3 billion, with maturities of three and a half years and seven years, to institutional investors.

These are the first European Covered Bond Premium issued in Italy complying with the new European directive implemented on March 30, 2023, reopening the Italian covered bond market after several months. The bonds are secured by a mortgage portfolio of about EUR28.8 billion, of which 98.6 percent residential and 1.4 percent commercial, with a current weighted average LTV of 47.5 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, Autogrill lost 1.0 percent and Hera 1.1 percent on the Mib after announcing Wednesday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on initiatives in the areas of circular economy, sustainable mobility, and environmental communication, consistent with the goals for sustainable development defined by the UN 2030 Agenda.

The agreement between the two entities, which have long been committed to ensuring a transition to an increasingly circular economy through their projects, will last for one year and provides for the gradual development of a series of environmental actions in Autogrill's 390 or so catering outlets throughout the country.

UnipolSai gave up 0.2 percent after raising the curtain on BeRebel, the "pay-per-you" insurtech, a first in Italy and Europe with a mileage-based, monthly, fully digital auto policy.

BeRebel provides a minimum monthly cost, of about EUR10, in which 200 km are included. At the end of the month, any extra km driven will be equalized at the cost per km indicated in the policy, which is about 2 cents per km. Any unused km can be carried over to the following month.

Anima Holding Group's net inflows of assets under management - up 0.1 percent - were positive EUR63 million in May. At the end of May, total assets under management by the Anima group stood at more than EUR183 billion.

Juventus rose 1.7 percent the day after announcing Tuesday that "with reference to rumors that appeared in the press, it informs that it has sent a communication to the other two other clubs that, like Juventus, have not exercised their withdrawal from the Super League Project - Barcelona and Real Madrid - in order to initiate a period of discussion among the three clubs having as its object the possible exit of Juventus from the Super League Project."

Among small-cap companies, Mondo TV rose 0.8 percent. Smallcap announced Wednesday that it has signed a sales agreement with Chinese company JYS Media for the sale of preschool series Lulu Brum Brum and One Love.

The sales agreement has a seven-year term starting June 1 and provides for the payment of a License Fee to acquire the distribution rights JYS Media, a subsidiary of Huace Group is internationally known for the management, exploitation and online marketing of video content in the Chinese territory.

EEMS Italia - up 0.7 percent - announced Tuesday that it has appointed Marco Teodori as chief operating officer.

With the establishment of the COO function and Teodori's appointment, "EEMS has strengthened the managerial staff that will be in charge of implementing the new industrial plan 2023-2027 whose presentation to the market is imminent," the company specified.

Equita Group on Wednesday closed down 0.8 percent after announcing the first investment of the Equita Private Debt Fund II in the DACH market, thus starting its geographic diversification path.

On the alternative capital market of Borsa Italiana, Planetel gained 2.7 percent after announcing that it has signed a multi-year framework agreement with Vodafone Italia - a subsidiary of Vodafone Group - regarding the concession in IRU - Indefeasible Right of Use of the right to use certain sections of fiber optic network.

Based on the framework agreement, the first operations to connect the base radio stations of Vodafone Italia's 4G and 5G mobile network in the provinces of Bergamo, Brescia and Verona have already been defined. This will enable Vodafone to offer its mobile network customers a higher capacity and better latency service.

DBA Group is up 11 percent let it know that its board of directors has approved the business plan to 2026.

The plan confirms for the conrso year the disclosed budget figures that include estimated value of production of EUR10.5 million, Ebitda of EUR10.3 million, and projected Net Debt Financial Position of EUR12.3 million with NFP/Ebitda ratio expected to decrease from 1.9 times in 2022 to 1.2 times in 2023.

In New York on the European night, the Dow advanced 0.3 percent, the Nasdaq gave up 1.3 percent, and the S&P 500 fell 0.4 percent.

Among Asian exchanges, the Hang Seng is giving up 0.1 percent, the Shanghai Composite is up 0.5 percent, while the Nikkei gave up 0.8 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0709 versus USD1.0706 on Wednesday in closing European equities. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2450 from USD1.2459 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD76.78 per barrel versus USD77.37 per barrel last night. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,944.30 an ounce from USD1,957.87 an ounce Tuesday night.

Thursday's macroeconomic calendar, coming up at 1100 CEST on Eurozone GDP and unemployment.

From the US, at 1430 CEST, focus on jobless claims.

Among Piazza Affari companies, the accounts of Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News senior reporter

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