(Alliance News) - On Thursday, major European stock markets confirm expectations and open in positive territory, with the sole exception of London's FTSE 100, which is in the fractional red an hour after the release of a series of macroeconomic data related to the UK.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is up 0.4 percent to 28,650.61, the Mid-Cap gains 0.3 percent to 43,038.10, the Small-Cap is in the green 0.1 percent to 26,777.74, while Italy Growth rises 0.2 percent to 9,103.97.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is up 0.1 percent, London's FTSE 100 is in fractional red, while Frankfurt's DAX is up 0.1 percent.

In fact, in macroeconomic news, the British economy contracted 0.1 percent month-on-month in May, following 0.2 percent growth in April and compared with market forecasts of a larger 0.3 percent decline, with the king's coronation leading to an additional public holiday on May 8.

On the main index in Piazza Affari, the strongest momentum concerns Moncler, which gains 1.0% and takes the lead.

Inwit, ERG and Telecom Italia follow, all gaining 0.5 percent.

TIM, before the opening, announced that it had placed a EUR750 million fixed-rate senior unsecured bond offered to institutional investors, maturing July 31, 2028, with a coupon of 7.875% per annum.

In addition, the shareholders' meeting of TIM Brasil Serviços e Participações, the group's wholly owned holding company, which in turn controls 66.58 percent of TIM, approved the issuance of a bond, non-convertible and intended for institutional investors, amounting to BRL4.25 billion, equivalent to about EUR800 million at current exchange rates.

Also in the green was Enel - up 0.4 percent - which informed that it and its listed subsidiary Enel Chile had signed a share purchase and sale agreement with Sonnedix Chile Arcadia Spa and Sonnedix Chile Arcadia Generación, both subsidiaries of international renewable energy producer Sonnedix, involving the sale of Enel's and Enel Chile's entire shareholdings in Arcadia Generación Solar Spa, a Chilean company that owns a portfolio of four photovoltaic plants.

The agreement calls for the buyers to pay, for the entirety of the stakes, a total consideration, subject to usual adjustments for this type of transaction, of USD550 million, or about EUR504 million, corresponding to 100 percent of the enterprise value agreed by the parties.

The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Enel Green Power, signed an agreement with INPEX Corporation, to sell 50 percent of the two companies that own all of the group's assets in Australia, specifically Enel Green Power Australia Pty Ltd and Enel Green Power Australia Trust, currently wholly owned by EGP, for a total consideration of approximately EUR400 million enterprise value, referring to 100 percent, of which approximately EUR140 million is in debt.

Prysmian, after rising 3.3 percent on Wednesday, gives up 0.3 percent after announcing that it has signed a service level agreement with German-Dutch transmission system operator TenneT to provide nearshore and offshore inspection, maintenance and repair services for submarine cables transmitting high-voltage AC and DC power in the North Sea.

On the Mid-Cap, Maire Tecnimont rises 0.6 percent after its subsidiary NextChem Holding, through Stamicarbon, part of the Sustainable Technology Solutions business unit, won licensing and supply contracts for proprietary equipment for an ammonia and urea complex with a total value of about EUR100 million, representing Stamicarbon's most valuable acquisition in its history.

Tamburi Investment Partners gives up 0.3 percent. The investment firm has set up a club deal with some of Italy's leading family offices to buy an additional 20 percent stake in Investindesign, a company that holds an approximately 47 percent stake in Italian Design Brands, recently listed on Euronext Milan.

The purchase of the stake - for a total consideration of EUR28.4 million - will be made by Club Design, a company in which TIP itself has a 20% stake and other investors identified by TIP, at a price per share identical to that of the acquisition made in May by TIP.

Tinexta gives up 0.2 percent after reporting Wednesday that its subsidiary InfoCert has exercised its option to buy the remaining 40 percent of Oodrive, in which it already holds 60 percent.

The consideration for the purchase of the 40 percent stake is about EUR30.6 million. Under the terms of the agreement, the option was exercisable following the approval of CertEurope's 2022 budget.

Among thinly capitalized companies, Piquadro opens flat after announcing that it has suspended its buyback plan, coming in at just under 2.0 million treasury shares, or nearly 4.0 percent of its share capital.

Landi Renzo is on the threshold of parity at the open. The soiety's board of directors co-opted Annalisa Stupenengo as the group's chief executive officer and also appointed her as general manager.

TXT e-solutions is not yet affected by trading the day after signing an agreement to acquire assets belonging to the Embedded Graphics business of Presagis Canada, Presagis Europe and Presagis USA, subsidiaries of CAE, a leading Canadian Aerospace & Defense company. Completion of the transaction is subject to the fulfillment of certain anticipated conditions and is expected in the third quarter of 2023.

On the alternative capital market of Borsa Italiana, Renergetica - not yet involved in trading - formalized with E.ON Solar Energy Infrastructure Solutions Italy the sale of the special purpose vehicle Ren 181, holder of the unique authorization for the construction of a photovoltaic plant, of about 3 MW of power in the municipality of Catania.

CleanBnB rises 6.5 percent after announcing Wednesday that the board of directors reviewed certain management data-unaudited-for the second quarter and first half of 2023. During the latter, managed stays totaled 41,025, up 54 percent from 26,583 in the first half of 2022.

This operating result was also reflected in the gross booking volume, i.e., receipts from guests for managed stays, which reached EUR16.8 million, up 65 percent from EUR10.2 million collected in the first half of 2022.

NVP - in the black by 0.6 percent - announced that it has signed a term sheet with Euroscena, a company whose share capital is wholly owned by Mediapro International, and Mediapro itself, detailing the guidelines of the agreements regarding NVP's purchase of a business unit owned by Euroscena.

Among the Asian exchanges, the Nikkei closed up 1.5 percent, the Shanghai Composite was in the green by 1.3 percent while the Hang Seng marked a green by 2.5 percent.

In New York on Wednesday, the Dow closed up 0.3 percent to 34,347.43, the Nasdaq finished in the green 1.2 percent to 12,918.96 and the S&P 500 marked a plus 0.7 percent to 4,472.16.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.1153 against USD1.1121 in Wednesday's European equities close, while the pound was instead worth USD1.3015 from USD1.3000 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD80.44 per barrel versus USD80.12 per barrel at Wednesday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD1,966.65 an ounce from USD1,956.74 an ounce on Wednesday evening.

On Thursday's macroeconomic calendar, at 1100 CEST, eyes on Eurozone industrial production and economic forecasts for the EU.

At 1330 CEST, the minutes of the European Central Bank's latest meeting will be released, an hour before moving to the U.S., where data on unemployment benefit claims and the producer price index will be released. In the afternoon, focus on U.S. gas stocks and, in the evening, the Federal Reserve's balance sheet.

Among companies in the Piazza Affari, the half-year accounts of Brunello Cucinelli and LU-VE are expected.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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