(Alliance News) - On Friday, major European stock markets close in positive territory with Milan dragging the other Squares.

Thus, the FTSE Mib closes in the green 1.1 percent to 32,700.92, the Mid-Cap gains 0.4 percent to 46,012.58, the Small-Cap gives up 0.1 percent to 27,937.34, and Italy Growth ends up 0.2 percent to 8,191.20.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 ends in the green by 0.3 percent, as does Frankfurt's DAX 40, while Paris' CAC 40 ends in the green by 0.7 percent.

Also today, "risk-off sentiment in the wake of Nvidia's strong results helped the Nikkei 225, the CAC 40 and all three major U.S. indexes reach their all-time highs. This followed the slight improvement in German business morale and rising inflation expectations in the euro area, ahead of the second estimate of quarterly U.S. GDP growth, PCE inflation and consumer price inflation in Germany, which could take some wind out of the sails of the equity rally. After all, the Dow and S&P 500 have posted all but two 17 weeks of gains since the October lows," commented Axel Rudolph, senior market analyst at IG.

"On both sides of the ocean, gas prices fell significantly today. While the price of natural gas in the U.S. remains set for a weekly gain, gas prices in Europe fell to their lowest level-before the energy crisis-since May 2021, thanks to ample supplies, supply, and clement weather. Oil prices also fell more than 1 percent on the day, while gold prices closed in slightly positive territory."

On the Mib, it gives momentum to the banking sector, with Banco BPM taking the top spot and rising 5.4 percent, followed by Mediobanca, up 5.2 percent, and Generali Assicurazioni and Banca Generali picking up 3.3 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively.

Tenaris also does well today rising 1.9 percent after announcing results for the fourth quarter and year ended Dec. 31, a year ended with a 5 percent increase in revenues on a sequential basis, "supported by a high level of shipments to the Middle East and for offshore pipeline projects," the company writes in the note.

Total sales for 2023 were USD14.86 billion from USD11.76 billion in the previous year.

Ferrari is in the green by 1.5 percent after it announced Thursday a new global partnership with L'OR Espresso, a brand of JDE Peet's group, a leading global coffee and tea company.

Recordati rises 2.2 percent after it reviewed and approved preliminary consolidated results for fiscal year 2023, which closed with net income of EUR389.2 million, up 25 percent from 2022, driven by strong operating performance and lower nonrecurring costs compared to 2022. This figure, moreover, has a revenue margin of about 19 percent.

Consolidated net revenues in 2023 were EUR2.08 billion up 12 percent from 2022, in line with the upper end of the guidance range revised upward last May, thanks to "excellent business performance in both the Specialty & Primary Care and Rare Diseases segments, which continue to show double-digit growth, at constant exchange rates," the note said.

At the bottom goes Campari, in the red by 2.0 percent, preceded by STMicroelectronics down 1.7 percent, and FinecoBank, which, bucking the trend of the other banks, closes the podium with a 0.9 percent loss.

On the cadet segment, Brembo - in the green by 1.3% - announced Thursday that it has opened its first production site in Thailand.

The investment, amounting to about EUR40 million, reflects the group's strategy to expand its industrial presence globally and allows Brembo to seize new growth opportunities in Southeast Asia, the company explained in a note.

Maire Tecnimont gives up 1.9 percent after announcing Wednesday that NextChem, through its subsidiary NextChem Tech, has signed a binding agreement to acquire 80 percent of HyDEP Srl and 100 percent of Dragoni Group Srl.

The purchase price for the two shares is approximately EUR3.6 million.

Ariston Holding -- in the red by 1.9 percent -- on Thursday announced that it had finalized an agreement to acquire a production site located in the October 6 Municipality Industrial Park near Cairo, Egypt, from Universal Group, a historic Egyptian manufacturing company founded by Youssri Kotb.

Among the smallcaps, Openjobmetis--down 0.3 percent--reported Friday that Groupe Crit has signed preliminary contracts to take over a significant stake in the same company.

In detail, Crit, at a price of EUR16.50 per share, will take over Plavisgas, holder of 34.1 percent of Openjobmetis, and 18.5 percent of the company's capital from Omniafin and 5.2 percent from MTI Investimenti. The closing of the acquisitions is subject to the required authorization under the golden power.

Following the deals, Crit will hold 57.7 percent of Openjobmetis, on which it will launch a tender offer at EUR16.50 per share.

TXT e-solutions gains 4.3 percent after announcing Thursday that as of December 31 it had revenues of EUR224 million, up about 48 percent from EUR150.8 million in 2022. On a like-for-like basis, revenues grew by about 12 percent and acquisitions contributed about EUR56 million. Total international revenues accounted for about 20 percent of total revenues in 2023, the company says.

Ebitda was about EUR31.5 million or 14 percent of revenues, up about 42 percent from ER22.3 million in 2022.

Among SMEs, Talea Group - in the red by 5.1 percent - on Thursday approved consolidated revenue figures for 2023, closed with adjusted consolidated revenues stood at EUR136.3 million, up 13 percent from EUR120.9 million in FY2022.

Consolidated unadjusted revenues are EUR131.4 million compared to EUR116.3 million in 2022.

Matica Fintec rises 1.6 percent after it reported unaudited preliminary consolidated results as of Dec. 31 on Thursday, reporting net income of EUR2.2 million, compared to EUR2.6 million as of Dec. 31, 2022.

Vimi Fasteners - in the red by 3.2 percent, reported Wednesday that it reported revenues of EUR61.3 million in 2023, up 15 percent from EUR53.3 million as of Dec. 31, 2022.

The Vimi group's order backlog as of Dec. 31, covering the full year 2024 and amounting to EUR39.2 million, up from EUR37.7 million in backlog at the end of 2022, was also up.

In New York, the Dow is in the green 0.3 percent to 39,195.62, the Nasdaq gives up 0.2 percent to 16,014.27 and the S&P 500 is up 0.1 percent to 5,092.28.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0825 against USD1.0814 recorded at Thursday's European stock close, while the pound is worth USD1.2669 from USD1.2643 on Thursday evening.

Brent crude is worth USD82.33 per barrel versus USD83.52 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,044.15 an ounce from USD2,030.75 an ounce on Thursday evening.

Monday's macroeconomic calendar opens at 0900 CET with data on the producer price index in Spain.

Overseas, at 1400 CET comes data on building permits and building permits in the US and half an hour later Canadian manufacturing sales.

At 1600 CET, it is the turn of new home sales for January in the US.

Among the companies listed on the Stock Exchange, Omer's results are expected.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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