(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari opens Friday's session as expected, with the Mib not deviating from parity at the start of a session that is expected to be quiet in terms of macro and trading volumes.

Of note were only Germany's inflation data, which, according to Destatis, on an annual basis slowed to 3.2 percent in November from 3.8 percent in October. The figure confirmed the preliminary estimate released late last month and also represented the fifth consecutive month in which inflation cooled.

"In October and November, many energy products, in particular, cost less than a year earlier. The price situation here has clearly eased. The year-on-year rate of increase in food prices has also continued to slow down, but it is still significantly higher than overall inflation," said Destatis President Ruth Brand.

The FTSE Mib opened down 0.1 percent to 30,098.11, the Mid-Cap gave up 0.2 percent to 42,227.67, the Small-Cap rose 0.1 percent to 26,406.10, and Italy Growth gained 0.2 percent to 8,040.11.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is just above par at 7,517.13, Paris' CAC 40 rises 0.3% to 7,450.68 and Frankfurt's DAX 40 gains 0.1% to 16,648.16.

Prysmian rises 0.5 percent after reporting that it has been awarded a contract from Petrobras worth EUR100 million.

Prymsian will supply 170 km of electro-hydraulic umbilicals for deepwater operations and related specialized logistics and offshore operations services.

The state-of-the-art Steel Tube and Thermoplastic technology umbilicals for deepwater operations will be designed, manufactured, tested and delivered in the period 2024-2027 by Prysmian's Center of Excellence for Offshore Specialties and Dynamic Subsea Technologies in Vila Velha, Brazil.

Banca Monte dei Paschi drops 0.3 percent after the stock two days ago updated its 52-week high at EUR3.44. Of note, Psquared Asset Management cut its short to 0.36% from 0.70% previously.

Leonardo rises 0.5% after Deutsche Bank Research raised target price to EUR17.50 from EUR15.10 with 'buy' recommendation.

Nexi also does well, up 1.0%, after Citigroup upgraded the paytech's stock to 'buy' from 'neutral' and raised the price target to EUR8.60 from EUR7.20.

Banca Mediolanum gives up 0.2% after reporting that November net inflows were EUR136 million, with the year-to-date total rising to EUR5.92 billion.

Net inflows in asset management are EUR375 million, for a cumulative EUR3.35 billion. New loans disbursed amount to EUR217 million, with the year-to-date figure reaching EUR2.76 billion. Protection policy premiums, on the other hand, amounted to EUR16 million, with the cumulative marking EUR164 million.

On the Mid-Cap, Anima Holding reported Thursday that it achieved negative group net inflows of assets under management of EUR340 million in November.

At the end of November, the group's total assets under management stood at EUR186 billion. The stock rises 0.6 percent.

Juventus gains 0.6 percent. The company announced that - with reference to ongoing investigations by the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office following the displacement of criminal proceedings already pending at the Turin Judicial Authority - it has received a request for the acquisition of documents relating, in particular, to the financial statements as of June 30, 2022.

"In this context, the company has learned that investigations are pending at the Public Prosecutor's Office in Rome in relation to corporate officers," the corporate note reads.

Savlatore Ferragamo rises 1.5 percent, recovering after Deutsche Bank Research downgraded the stock to 'sell' from 'hold' and cut its target price to EUR11.00 from EUR12.00.

Among the small-cap companies, Gequity gains 3.% after reporting that it will divest the Education business for EUR5.3 million, as announced by the company after hearing from the independent adviser called to give his opinion on the transaction.

Taking over the Education business will be Believe.

Meanwhile, Gequity also approved the new 2023-2027 business plan, which was built by integrating the economic and capital flows from BestBe's 2023-2027 business plan to the Gequity as-is structure. For 2027, the company expects revenues of about EUR24.0 million and an Ebitda margin of 10.1 percent.

Mondo TV gives up 1.1 percent despite reporting Wednesday that "Agent 203" has also been sold in Switzerland and, thus, one of the flagship series in the company's line-up is now sold in more than 100 countries.

Mondo TV reached an agreement with RSI to license the series co-produced with Toon2Tango, Cosmos Maya, and V-House Animation and commissioned by Super RTL in Germany.

Bioera is suspended after rising double digits in the last two sessions following the appointment of Giuseppe Farchione as chairman and Giorgio Campeggio as the company's chief executive officer. Their board memberships follow the resignations of Canio Giovanni Mazzaro and Domenico Torchia.

Among SMEs, Green Oleo is not trading. The company announced Thursday that it has expanded the range of its Halal-certified products. "This globally recognized certification attests to a sustainable product offering that is rigorous in respecting the diverse preferences and needs of consumers, consistent with their cultural and religious traditions," the company's statement read.

Bellini Nautica opens up 4.7 percent after signing a binding investment agreement with subsidiary Lusso Nautica, on the one hand, and Blue Luxury and subsidiary Rimini Service Yacht & Sail, on the other.

The agreement calls for a capital increase of Lusso Nautica to be released in part by Bellini Nautica and in part by Blue Luxury through the contribution of the entire capital of Rimini Service Yacht and a subsequent incorporation of the latter into Lusso Nautica.

Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment gives up 0.9 percent after announcing Wednesday that it has received notice from Intesa Sanpaolo of the confirmatory resolution to the request to amend the covenants of the 2020-2027 basket bond of original EUR8.0 million.

In detail, the new ratios are for NFP/EBIT ratio of less than 0.50 for 2023, 0.45 for the following years; Ebit/interest of more than 1.5 for 2023, 2.5 for the following years; NFP/EBIT of less than 6.5 for 2023, 3.5 for the following years.

The company is also continuing talks with UniCredit and CDP to similarly redefine covenants related to their 2021-2028 bond issue of original EUR10.0 million.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed Friday down 1.7 percent to 32,307.86, the Shanghai Composite gained 0.1 percent to 2,969.56 and the Hang Seng gave up 0.1 percent to 16,334.37.

In New York, the Dow closed Thursday up 0.2 percent to 36,117.38, the Nasdaq rose 1.4 percent to 14,339.99 and the S&P 500 gained 0.8 percent to 4,585.59.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0783 against USD1.0787 recorded at Thursday's European stock close while the pound is worth USD1.2565 from USD1.2576 last night.

Brent crude is worth USD75.54 per barrel versus USD74.76 per barrel at Thursday's closing. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,031.13 an ounce from USD2,028.42 an ounce last night.

Friday's macroeconomic calendar includes at 1100 CET, an ECOFIN meeting while the highlight of the day will be the U.S. private sector employment report, due at 1430 CET.

This is followed at 1600 CET by US consumer confidence and data on US drilling rigs from Baker Hughers at 1900 CET.

Among the companies in the Piazza Affari, no special events are scheduled.

By Giuseppe Fabio Ciccomascolo, Alliance News senior reporter

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