(Alliance News) - On Friday, the Mib moves tepidly higher as trading rooms focus, in addition to corporate reports, on various assumptions in the monetary policy segment, where central banks appear to be postponing the move to cut the cost of money, at least based on the latest public statements.
In this regard, Boston Fed President Susan Collins said that the central bank is carefully assessing the evolution of data and the outlook and that Eccles Building remains well-positioned, adding that it will be appropriate to begin easing policy later this year.
Markets currently discount a less than 20 percent probability of a Fed rate cut in March, down sharply from the two-thirds probability observed earlier in the year.
The FTSE Mib, therefore, is advancing 0.3 percent to EUR31,154.03, with a put/call ratio of 2.87.
In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is in fractional green, 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 giving up 0.1 percent to 45,243.55, the Small-Cap is giving up 0.1 percent to 27,319.61 while Italy Growth is just above par at 8,129.03.
On the main list of Piazza Affari, Iveco Group -- up 6.5 percent -- approved results for the 2023 financial year, which closed with an adjusted net profit of EUR352 million from EUR127 million in 2022. The board plans to propose to the company's shareholders the payment of an annual dividend of EUR0.22 per ordinary share, totaling about EUR59 million.
Also doing well is Interpump, which advances a more modest 1.8 percent to EUR42.98, rearing its head after four sessions among the bearish.
Mediobanca - up 0.9 percent - reported Thursday that it closed the first half of its 2023-2024 fiscal year with net income up 10 percent to EUR611.2 million from EUR555.5 million in the same period a year earlier.
Banco BPM -- bullish with 1.3 percent -- reported Thursday that it ended 2023 with a net profit of EUR1.26 billion, up 85 percent from EUR685.0 million a year earlier. In the fourth quarter alone, the bank posted a net profit of EUR321.1 million, which compares with EUR319.0 million in the previous quarter.
On the negative note, list minority, A2A is giving up 1.9 percent with price at EUR1.67 per share, following five bearish daily candles.
On the MidCap, Credito Emiliano is advancing 3.1 percent to EUR8.76 per share. The bank ended 2023 with a net profit of EUR562.1 million, which compares with a net profit of EUR326.1 million in 2022. The sharp increase in net income prompted the bank's board to propose the distribution of an annual doubled dividend of EUR0.65 compared to EUR0.33 paid last year.
Good trades, among many, also for Danieli&C, which trades up 2.2 percent at EUR30.55 per share.
Cementir Holding - down 3.8 percent - reported Thursday that it ended 2023 with revenues of EUR1.69 billion, down slightly from EUR1.72 billion in 2022.
Anima Holding - in the red by 0.2 percent - reported Wednesday that it achieved negative net inflows from assets under management of EUR470 million in January, which compares with positive inflows of EUR34 million in January 2022. Total assets under management exceed EUR191 billion against EUR182.4 billion in January 2023, up 4.8 percent.
On the SmallCap, Beewize advances more than 12 percent before going into volatility staging with price at EUR0.53.
On the other hand, Sole 24 Ore is advancing 3.2%, to a new 52-week high at EUR0.71 per share.
Banca Profilo's board of directors -- flat at EUR0.2050 -- on Thursday evening reviewed preliminary individual and consolidated figures as of December 31, 2023, reporting net income of EUR12.1 million, up 8.9 percent year-on-year or EUR1.0 million from last year's result. Total customer deposits, including net trust deposits, stood at EUR6.0 billion compared to EUR5.6 billion as of Dec. 31, 2022.
At the tail end, among the few bearish performers, is Fidia, which trades minus 2.5 percent at EUR0.43 per share.
Among SMEs, Aton Green Storage advances 2.8%, with new price at EUR6.62 per share after two sessions ended in the red.
Good trades also on Health Italia, which appreciates 4.1 percent. The stock - which has been missing the ex-dividend since 2019 - on a monthly basis increased its market cap by more than 25 percent.
At the tail end, in a still uneventful list Askoll Eva is giving up 4.6 percent to EUR0.28, updating its 52-week low.
Company of the Caribbean, on the other hand, gives up 4.1 percent, after the eve's green close of plus 1.7 percent.
In New York on European night, the Dow rallied 0.1%, the Nasdaq closed in the green by 0.2% while the S&P 500 finished just above par.
Among Asian exchanges, the Nikkei rallied 0.1 percent, the Shanghai Composite rose 1.3 percent while the Hang Seng was in the red by 0.8 percent.
Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0779 against USD1.0764 recorded in Thursday's European stock close while the pound is worth USD1.2628 from USD1.2612 last night.
Brent crude is worth USD81.52 per barrel versus USD81.13 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD2,032.50 an ounce from USD2,028.64 an ounce Thursday night.
Friday's economic calendar includes from Italy industrial production at 1000 CET while a 12-month BOT auction will be held at 1110 CET.
In the afternoon, from Canada, the unemployment rate is expected at 1430 CET.
Among the companies in Piazza Affari, the accounts of Buzzi Unicem and Banca Sistema are expected.
By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter
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