Stock markets in the red in Europe; Mib above 30,100 threshold

(Alliance News) - On Tuesday, major European stock markets confirmed expectations and opened in negative territory after the release of some macro data such as German inflation and pending Italian inflation.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is in the red 0.7 percent to 30,103.60, the Mid-Cap gives up 0.6 percent to 44,000.43, as does the Small-Cap to 27,522.35, while Italy Growth is down 0.1 percent to 8,228.23.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is in the red by 0.6 percent, London's FTSE 100 gives up 0.4 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is down 0.7 percent.

In macroeconomic news, Destatis confirmed preliminary data showing an acceleration of consumer price inflation in Germany in December.

According to the German Statistical Office, the consumer price index rose 3.7 percent in December from a year earlier, an annual pace up from 3.2 percent in November.

In Japan, producer prices unexpectedly registered zero year-on-year growth in December, beating market forecasts of a 0.3% decline and following a 0.3% growth in the previous month.

On the Mib, BPER Bank gives up 1.6 percent. The company together with the Gardant Group announced Monday that it has finalized a deal aimed at forming a strategic partnership to manage impaired loans owned by BPER and Banco di Sardegna Spa.

The partnership between the BPER Group and the Gardant Group is realized through the creation of a servicing platform 70 percent owned by Gardant Bridge Spa, a company of the Gardant Group, and 30 percent owned by BPER, and the signing of two servicing agreements related to the management and recovery of loans classified to both probable default and non-performing loans owned by BPER and BdS.

The valuation of the transaction will generate a total capital gain of approximately EUR150 million, before taxes, and will be booked in the first quarter of 2024.

Mediobanca gives up 0.2 percent after announcing Monday that it has successfully completed the placement of a new Tier 2 subordinated bond with a 10.25-year maturity - maturing in April 2034 - and a call option in April 2029, for a total amount of EUR300 million.

The bank was also awarded the Financial Advisor mandate by Antares Vision, which drops 16 percent on the Small-Cap. In detail, the mandate involves analyzing the financial situation of the Antares Vision group and supporting it in identifying a strategy for its reorganization and optimization.

Saipem is in the green by 0.2 percent,after announcing that the Algerian Supreme Court has ruled in the criminal case initiated in December 2022 against the company in connection with its participation in a 2008 tender for competitive FEED studies related to the Rhourde Nouss QH project, confirming the company's acquittal.

Stellantis -- in the red by 1.6 percent -- reported Friday that its venture capital fund, Stellantis Ventures, announced its participation as a strategic investor in Tiamat, a French company that develops and commercializes sodium-ion battery technology.

On the Mid-Cap, Safilo Group rises 1.6 percent after announcing Tuesday that it and Aeffe--up 1.7 percent among small caps--have proceeded with the early renewal of the global licensing agreement for the Moschino and Love Moschino eyewear collections through December 2033.

Iren gives up 1.0 percent after announcing Monday that it has issued an eight-and-a-half-year bond-the fifth green bond-of EUR500 million.

The board of PharmaNutra - flat at EUR59.70 - approved the group's preliminary sales figures for fiscal year 2023 on Thursday, reporting consolidated net revenues of EUR100.2 million, up 21 percent from full-year 2022, when they were EUR82.7 million.

Reply -- up 0.3 percent -- reported Friday that its subsidiary Storm Reply, a company specializing in cloud computing services, has built an IoT cloud solution for Eurogate, a renowned container terminal company, to collect and analyze operational data from machinery and systems in the cloud.

On the Small-Cap, BF is flat at EUR3.90 per share after announcing Tuesday that subsidiary BF International Best Fields Best Food Limited has entered into a partnership with Musahamat Farms Limited, a Ghanaian-registered company active in the agricultural sector.

FNM rises 1.1 percent after announcing Monday that it has decided to take over 80 percent of Viridis Energia Spa from Lagi Energia 2006 Srl and HNF Spa, which hold 55.7 percent and 33.3 percent, respectively.

Openjobmetis -- not yet affected by the exchanges -- on Monday announced that it had finalized the acquisition of 100 percent of Just On Business Spa and 100 percent of its subsidiary Deine Group Srl.

The agreed consideration is EUR29.7 million in cash, plus the signing of a 3-year non-compete agreement with the founding shareholders valued at EUR2.2 million in total.

doValue - in the red by 10 percent - announced that it has approved a new consolidated interim financial report as of September 30, prepared in accordance with international accounting standards applicable to interim financial reporting in IAS 34. In detail, net revenues of EUR304.6 million were reported for the first nine months of the year from EUR380.0 million in the same period last year. The period ended with a loss of EUR25.7 million from a profit of EUR39.2 million. Ebitda including nonrecurring items amounted to EUR115.3 million from EUR151.9 million in the first nine months of 2022.

Among SMEs, Esi rises 6.1 percent after announcing Monday that it has signed a contract with a leading multinational oil & gas company for the turnkey EPC construction of a new photovoltaic plant with a total capacity of 10 MWp in Piedmont.

The contract amount of approximately EUR5.7 million will be accrued in fiscal year 2024.

Omer rises 0.6 percent after announcing Monday that it has signed a contract with Hitachi Rail to supply furniture and fairing components for 40 Frecciarossa ETR 1000 trains commissioned by Trenitalia. The value of the contract, the amount of which was not disclosed, "will contribute to the backlog in a percentage within a range of 15 to 20 percent," the company specified in a note.

Eprcomunicazione--not yet affected by the exchanges--reported Monday that it has signed a contract with the European University of Rome to support its press office and media relations activities with the aim of continuing to strengthen its reputation and positioning through the enhancement of its educational offerings and faculty excellence.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed down 0.8 percent at 35,619.18, the Hang Seng finished 2.2 percent in the red at 15,865.92, and the Shanghai Composite finished up 0.3 percent at 2,893.99.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0913 against USD1.0947 recorded in Monday's European stock close, while the pound was worth USD1.2663 from USD1.2728 last night.

Brent crude is worth USD78.13 per barrel versus USD78.35 per barrel at Monday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,052.25 an ounce from USD2,054.59 an ounce on Monday night.

Tuesday's economic calendar includes, at 1000 CET, Italian inflation and Eurozone consumer expectations.

At 1100 CET, the ZEW confidence sentiment for Germany and the Eurozone will be coming in while, at 1210 CET, there will be a speech by Bundesbank number one Nagel.

At 1430 CET, inflation data will come in from Canada, at 1700 CET Waller from the Federal Reserve will speak, and finally, at 1430 CET, there will be an auction of Treasury bonds with three- and six-month maturities.

Among the companies in the Piazza Affari, the results of Gibus are expected.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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