Stock exchanges contrasted; TIM leads on Mib.

(Alliance News) - On Friday, major European stock markets close the last trading of the week mixed as they digest the European Central Bank decision and afternoon data from the US.

Thus, the FTSE Mib closes fractionally in the red at 33,403.80, the Mid-Cap gives up 0.1 percent to 46,421.47, the Small-Cap loses 0.7 percent to 27,512.75, and Italy Growth ends down 0.3 percent to 8,103.44.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 ends in the red by 0.4 percent, Frankfurt's DAX 40 gives up 0.2 percent, and Paris' CAC 40 is up 0.2 percent.

"The pound reached its highest level since August against the dollar in the afternoon, thanks to weakness in the greenback that pushed GBPUSD higher. Although U.S. payrolls were once again stronger than expected, a major downward revision to last month's record number and a 2 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate kept investors focused on the prospect of a U.S. rate cut this year," commented Chris Beauchamp, chief Mmarket analyst at IG.

"Today's jobs figure is perhaps one of those much-hoped-for moments: enough signs of weakness to spur hopes of a rate cut, but also a solid jobs number to underscore the overall strength of the U.S. economy. Compared to the anemic growth prospects of the U.K. and the Eurozone, it is not surprising to see U.S. stocks once again favored."

Back in Milan, on the Mib, Telecom Italia did best of all, in the green by 4.8 percent. The company said Wednesday that its board of directors reviewed its 2023 figures, confirming preliminaries, which saw revenues of EUR16.30 billion from EUR15.79 billion in 2022.

Ebitda amounted to EUR5.71 billion from EUR5.35 billion in 2022, with a margin of 35.0 percent from 33.9 percent a year earlier.

Iveco Group, up 2.5 percent, also goes up, while Amplifon, up 2.7 percent, closes the podium. reported Thursday that it ended 2023 with a profit of EUR165.8 million, down 9.5 percent from EUR183.3 million a year earlier, due to higher depreciation and amortization and higher financial expenses.

The board also proposed dividend of EUR0.29 per share, in line with the dividend paid in 2022, with a pay-out of 41.9 percent of consolidated net income per share.

Stellantis -- in the red by 0.3 percent -- announced Thursday that it plans a multibillion-dollar investment in South America.

The automaker, which is headquartered in the Netherlands, announced Thursday that it will invest EUR5.6 billion in the region from 2025 to 2030.

On the bottom is Azimut, in the red by 5.2 percent. The company reported Thursday that it ended 2023 with an adjusted net profit of EUR454 million from EUR402 million in 2022 and up 13 percent.

The board of directors resolved to pay a dividend of EUR1.40 per share from one for EUR1.30 in 2022.

Total revenues stood at EUR1.31 billion from EUR1.29 billion as of Dec. 31, 2022.

Also among the bearers was UniCredit, down 1.9 percent, after Italy's privacy watchdog fined the company EUR2.8 million for a data breach case in 2018 that affected thousands of customers and former customers.

The bank responded that it will appeal the decision in court, adding that no bank data was compromised and that the incident was immediately resolved.

On the cadet segment, UnipolSai Assicurazioni gives up 0.1 percent after it let it be known on Friday that rating agency Fitch raised its rating on restricted Tier 1 from BB to BB+.

Danieli -- in the green by 4.9 percent -- reported Thursday that it closed the first half of the year 2023/2024 on Dec. 31 with a profit of EUR98.8 million, up 33 percent from EUR74.1 million in the same period last year.

Operating income amounted to EUR2.07 billion from EUR1.87 billion as of Dec. 31, 2022. "The results for the first half of 2023/2024 confirm forecasts of declining profitability in steel production and improvement in steel plant design and supply. The two activities continue to offset each other in the 'up and down' of economic cycles, the company points out."

Among the smallcaps, Tesmec -- in the black by 0.2 percent -- reported on Friday that it closed 2023 with a loss of EUR2.7 million, which compares with a profit of EUR7.9 million in 2022, due to "higher financial components of about EUR14 million between interest and exchange rate changes," the company points out in a note.

Revenues increase to EUR252.0 million from EUR245.0 million in 2022.

Datalogic rises01.9 percent after it announced Friday that it has sold its entire stake in Informatics Holdings Inc.

Informatics is a company active in the marketing and distribution of software products and solutions dedicated to small and medium-sized companies based in Plano, Texas. Datalogic's stake passes to a subsidiary of U.S. private equity firm Renovo Capital LLC for USD34 million.

BasicNet's board of directors gives up 2.3 percent after it reported Friday that it approved its 2023 consolidated financial statements and draft operating budget as of December 31 reporting a profit of EUR24.4 million from EUR30 million in 2022, down about 19 percent.

Vianini - in the black by 1.3 percent - reported Thursday that it closed 2023 with revenues of EUR10.3 million from EUR14.3 million as of Dec. 31, 2022.

Among SMEs, Relatech rises 1.5 percent after announcing Thursday that through EFA Automazione Spa part of the Relatech Group, it has signed a business cooperation agreement for the distribution in Italy of IO-Link Master Fastus modules produced by Japan's Optex FA Co.

Promotica closes flat. The company announced Thursday that it has launched its first loyalty marketing campaign in Poland, at the Stokrotka supermarket chain.

Matica Fintec -- in the red by 1.2 percent -- reported Thursday that it ended 2023 with revenues of EUR22.6 million, up 16 percent from EUR19.5 million in 2022.

In New York, the Dow is in the green 0.13 percent to 38,896.76, the Nasdaq gains 0.1 percent to 16,288.49 and the S&P 500 is up 0.2 percent to 5,165.41.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0948 against USD1.0934 recorded at last night's European stock close, while the pound is worth USD1.2860 from USD1.2790 on Thursday night.

Brent crude is worth USD81.76 per barrel versus USD82.78 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,181.30 an ounce from USD2,156.44 an ounce last night.

Monday's macroeconomic calendar opens at 0050 CET with data on Japanese GDP and M2 money supply. At 0900 CET Switzerland's SECO Economic Accuracy is expected, while at 0900 CET is Spain's industrial sales data.

At 1100 CET is the Eurogroup meeting.

On the bond front, French BTF auctions with 3-, 6- and 12-month maturities are expected at 1455 CET, while from overseas at 1730 CET it is the turn of the US Treasury bond auctions with 3- and 6-month maturities.

Among the companies listed in Piazza Affari, results from Assicurazioni Generali, A2A, Cementir Holding and Leonardo, among others, are expected.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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