(Alliance News) - European stock markets closed the first session of September lower after the release of several macro data for the Eurozone and the U.S. that confirmed the broader slowdown in manufacturing and economic activity.

Axel Rudolph, senior market analyst at IG, said, "Friday's expected nonfarm payrolls data showed a surprise rise in U.S. unemployment to 3.8 percent while wage growth was lower than expected and payrolls rose again."

"This suggests that labor market conditions are easing in the U.S., solidifying expectations that the Fed will not raise rates in September. Equity indexes rallied for the second consecutive week as yields fell from August highs and the U.S. dollar continued its bullish trajectory."

The FTSE Mib closed down 0.6 percent to 28,650.49, the Mid-Cap fell 0.4 percent to 42,244.46, the Small-Cap gave up 0.5 percent to 27,210.43 while Italy Growth closed marginally higher at 8,885.65.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 rose 0.3 percent, Paris' CAC 40 lost 0.2 percent and Frankfurt's DAX 40 lost 0.5 percent.

On the blue chip list, oil stocks did well, driven by the rise in Brent, with Eni closing up 1.8 percent, Tenaris up 1.0 percent and Saipem up 0.7 percent.

Saipem on Thursday had announced that it had successfully completed the placement of EUR500 million of senior unsecured guaranteed equity-linked bonds maturing in 2029.

Intesa Sanpaolo -- down 0.5 percent -- on Thursday announced a cash repurchase offer of all or part of its perpetual "EUR750,000,000 Additional Tier 1 Notes" with a total outstanding nominal amount of EUR750 million and the launch of a new issue of a perpetual Additional Tier 1 fixed-rate reset bond with a nominal amount of not less than EUR750 million.

At the tail end, Ferrari closed down 3.0%.

On the mid-cap, Juventus lost 0.1 percent. The club announced that it has reached an agreement with FC Union Berlin for the outright free transfer of the rights to the sports performance of football player Leonardo Bonucci.

The deal generates a negative economic impact on the 2022-2023 financial year of EUR5.6 million.

Webuild gave up 0.2 percent. The stock avoided sharp profit-taking after rising sharply Thursday after Snowy Hydro, the developer of the Snowy 2.0 project in Australia-the largest Australian project in the hydropower sector, 100% owned by Webuild after its acquisition of Clough-announced Thursday morning that it was revising the contract.

Fincantieri gained 1.0 percent after announcing that it had completed the parallel modernization of two cruise ships for Crystal - A&K Travel Group - delivering Crystal Symphony in recent days.

The contract was finalized in December 2022, and after an initial phase dedicated to engineering development, work lasted for about five months significantly raising the level of services and accommodations on board.

Iren lost 0.2 percent. The board of directors on Wednesday co-opted Paolo Emilio Signorini and appointed him as the new chief executive officer and general manager, following Gianni Vittorio Armani's resignation on June 12.

The appointment follows the formal indication made by the union committee of Iren's public shareholders composed of Marco Bucci, mayor of Genoa; Stefano Lo Russo, mayor of Turin; and Luca Vecchi, mayor of Reggio Emilia.

Change at the top also for Piaggio--up 0.6 percent--with the heirs of Roberto Colaninno appointed CEO and chairman of the company.

Matteo Colaninno was appointed executive chairman, with powers in substantial continuity with those previously given to him. Michele Colaninno, former Chief Executive of Global Strategy, Product, Marketing and Innovation, was appointed CEO.

On the Small-Cap side, FNM - up 0.2 percent - and CDP Venture Capital Sgr signed an agreement to develop innovative startups and SMEs through the entry of the integrated sustainable mobility group in Lombardy into the Corporate Partners I Fund, the multi-compartment fund that involves major industrial and financial players in order to stimulate the growth of the innovation ecosystem in Italy in the strategic sectors of energy, manufacturing, services and infrastructure.

Aquafil gained 2.2 percent the day after it reported that the first half of the year ended with a loss of EUR4.1 million from a profit of EUR17.7 million recorded in the same period of the previous year and a decline of 123 percent.

As of June 30, revenues stood at EUR311.1 million, down 11 percent from EUR351.0 million in 2022. Ebitda was worth EUR31.3 million from EUR51.5 million and down 39%. Ebit was EUR4.1 million from a negative EUR3.9 million as of June 30, 2022.

KME Group closed up 0.2 percent. The company, with reference to the three voluntary total takeover bids involving KME ordinary shares, KME savings shares, and warrants to 2024, respectively, announced on Wednesday evening that Germany's Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy had issued the authorization under the applicable local regulations on foreign investment control, i.e., golden power.

Among SMEs, eVISO closed up 1.3 percent after reporting Thursday that it closed the year ended June 30 with revenues up to EUR225 million from EUR208 million a year earlier.

Circle lost 1.8 percent after announcing Thursday that it had signed a major new contract with a leading European intermodal and terminal operator. The value of the order is over EUR200,000 and the duration of the contract is 12 months.

Maps--up 1.7 percent--reported Wednesday that it had entered into a supplementary agreement for the early acquisition from minority shareholder MMW Srl of the remaining 30 percent stake in Informatica e Telecomunicazioni Srl and the simultaneous closing of the entire transaction. The early closing thus provides for a total amount of EUR2.1 million.

In New York, the Dow Jones is up 0.5 percent to 34,902.99, the Nasdaq is up 0.1 percent to 14,050.87, and the S&P 500 is up 0.3 percent to 4,522.61.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0814 against USD1.0848 on Thursday in closing European equities while the pound is worth USD1.2622 to USD1.2659 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD88.22 per barrel versus USD86.76 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,935.91 an ounce from USD1,942.84 an ounce on Thursday evening.

Monday's economic calendar -- a day when Wall Street will be closed for Labor Day -- includes the arrival of German trade balance data at 0800 CEST and the Sentix index of Eurozone investor confidence, at 1030 CEST.

Spain's unemployment rate, on the other hand, will be released at 0900 CST.

On the bond front, France will hold auctions of three-, six- and 12-month BTFs at 1455 CEST.

Among the companies in the Piazza Affari, Valsoia's accounts are expected.

By Giuseppe Fabio Ciccomascolo, Alliance News senior reporter

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