Milan up; Cucinelli and DiaSorin weigh on Mib.

(Alliance News) - On Friday, major European stock markets close without momentum except for the FTSE100, in red, and the Mib, in green, at the height of a day frantically punctuated by the release of corporate results.

Thus, the FTSE Mib closes in green by 0.5 percent to 33,940.03, the Mid-Cap gains 0.3 percent to 47,009.24, the Small-Cap loses 0.8 percent to 27,318.67, and Italy Growth ends up 0.3 percent to 8,045.76.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 ends in the red by 0.2 percent, Frankfurt's DAX 40 is on par, as is Paris' CAC 40.

"U.S. consumer sentiment is weakening as gas prices rise, the Empire State index fell sharply and this week's inflation readings came in hotter than expected. This is not the kind of picture that can support equity markets desperate for a new catalyst to drive a new phase of the rally. U.S. markets are broadly down, and with the Fed meeting now on everyone's radar, we could see this extend into at least the early part of next week," commented Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG.

On the Mib, MPS does best of all and rises 4.3 percent. Preceded by Pirelli and Banca Generali, up 3.7 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively.

ERG also does well, up 0.6 percent. The company reported Wednesday that reported group net income was EUR179 million compared to EUR379 million in 2022. The adjusted one from continuing operations was EUR226 million compared to EUR129 million in 2022.

The board proposed a dividend of EUR1.00 per share, confirming the previous year's amount.

In 2023, adjusted revenues were EUR741 million, up from 2022 when they were EUR714 million

On the bottom is Brunello Cucinelli, in the red by 8.0 percent. The company reported Thursday that it ended 2023 with a net profit of EUR123.8 million, up 42% from EUR87.2 million as of December 31, 2022.

The company let it know that it proposed to pay a dividend of EUR0.91 per share from EUR0.65 in 2022.

Revenues in the period stood at EUR1.14 billion, up 24 percent from EUR919.7 million in 2022.

DiaSorin also hurt after the release of its annual results, down 4.1 percent. The company announced Friday that it ended 2023 with net income down to EUR159 million from EUR240 million as of December 31, 2022. Adjusted net income amounted to EUR224 million from EUR319 million in 2022.

Revenues in the period stood at EUR1.15 billion from EUR1.4 billion in 2022.

On the cadet segment, Saras -- in fractional red at EUR1.75 per share -- reported Friday that it ended 2023 with a reported net income of EUR313.9 million from EUR416.9 million in 2022.

The board of directors proposed the dividend of EUR0.15 down from EUR0.19 per share related to the 2022 budget.

Revenues are EUR11.44 billion down from EUR15.84 billion in 2022.

Webuild's board of directors -- down 4.1 percent -- approved the draft financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2023, which closed with adjusted net income attributable to the group of EUR236 million, effectively doubling the results achieved in fiscal 2022, when it was EUR118 million. The board is proposing a dividend of EUR0.071 per ordinary share, up 25 percent from 2022, and EUR0.824 per savings share.

Adjusted revenues, FY2023, stand at EUR10.0 billion from EUR8.16 billion for FY2022 and mark year-on-year growth of EUR1.83 billion, or 22 percent.

Salcef Group gives up 0.7 percent after announcing Thursday that it ended 2023, "the best year ever," with a profit of EUR62.1 million up 37 percent from EUR45.5 million in 2022. The board of directors proposed a dividend of EUR0.55 per share, up 10% from the previous year.

Revenues increased to EUR794.7 million from EUR565.6 million in 2022, up about 41%.

Dragging the list was El.En. in the green by 18%. The company approved its interim report as of March 31, 2023, with earnings before taxes showing a positive balance of EUR16.6 million or so and registering a decrease of 5.3% from EUR17.5 million as of March 31, 2022.

Consolidated sales were EUR161.4 million compared to EUR144.4 million in the first quarter of 2022.

Among smallcaps, Datalogic -- down 12 percent -- ended 2023 with a profit of EUR9.5 million, down 69 percent from EUR30.1 million in 2022. The board of directors, the company announced Thursday, proposed a dividend of EUR0.12 per share from EUR0.30 a year earlier.

Revenues fall to EUR536.6 million from EUR654.6 million a year earlier, with declines in all geographies.

Safilo Group gives up 2.6 percent after announcing Thursday that it closed fiscal year 2023 with a loss of EUR24.6 million from a profit of EUR54.2 million in 2022.

algoWatt rises 2.9 percent after it appointed Domenico De Marinis as lead independent director on Thursday.

Among SMEs, Askoll EVA--up 4.6 percent--reported Friday that it has received a new order from customer Cooltra, a leading European company in sustainable mobility on two wheels.

The agreement calls for the supply within of 200 eS2 Sharing scooters, which will be deployed in Italy, and 1,400 batteries.

The board of directors of Culti Milano -- in the red by 1.6 percent -- on Thursday approved its financial report for 2023 in which it reported a net profit of EUR1.0 million compared to EUR2.3 million in the same period the previous year.

Prior to the release of the results AATech rises about 12 percent.

Espe -- in the green by 3.9 percent -- announced Tuesday that it has concluded agreements with three major Independent Power Producers customers for the construction of ground-mounted photovoltaic plants on Italian territory totaling 59 MWp or about EUR31 million.

In New York, the Dow is in the red 0.5 percent to 38,700.00, the Nasdaq gives up 1.0 percent to 15,964.68 and the S&P 500 is in the red 0.7 percent to 5,114.00.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0887 versus USD1.0892 recorded at Thursday's European stock close, while the pound is worth USD1.2735 from USD1.2756 on Thursday evening.

Brent crude is worth USD85.42 per barrel versus USD85.17 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,167.35 an ounce from USD2,159.41 an ounce on Thursday evening.

On Monday's economic calendar, at 0101 CET is the Rightmove index of residential housing prices in the UK.

At 0300 CET it is time for data on industrial production in China, the unemployment rate and retail sales.

At 1000 CET the Spanish trade balance is published and an hour later the consumer price index for the Eurozone and the trade balance.

Among the companies listed in Piazza Affari, Industrie De Nora, Interpump Group, and Zucchi, among others, are expected to report results.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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