(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari is expected to start down, according to futures, in line with the expected trend for the rest of Europe, on a day that opened devoid of Tokyo and Hong Kong stock markets.

While Japanese equities were scheduled to close due to Navy Day, trading in Hong Kong was not held due to a warning from Typhoon Talim. Among the Asian biggies, therefore, only the Shanghai Composite traded, now down 1.2 percent at 3,200.57 after Chinese Gross Domestic Product data.

China's economy grew 6.3 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, a figure that belies the country's slowing post-pandemic recovery and which analysts warn is inflated given the low base of comparison with 2022 "devastated" by anti-Covid measures.

Beijing's National Bureau of Statistics released growth data on Monday, saying in a note that the economy "showed a good momentum of recovery."

"On a quarterly basis, Gross Domestic Product grew 4.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter and 6.3 percent in the second quarter," said NBS spokesman Fu Linghui.

In Europe, the FTSE Mib is listed down 152.5 points or 0.5 percent after losing 0.4 percent to 28,663.30 at Friday's close.

London's FTSE 100 is expected down 43.5 points or 0.6 percent, Paris' CAC 40 is given down 55.0 points or 0.8 percent and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is expected down 88.5 points or 0.6 percent.

In Milan on Friday evening, the Mid-Cap fell 0.2 percent to 42,778.21, the Small-Cap finished 0.3 percent in the red to 26,608.08 while the Italy Growth closed down 0.2 percent to 9,086.52.

Among blue chips, FinecoBank rose 1.5 percent, in its third bullish session.

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena gained 1.7 percent, marking its sixth straight session on the bullish side.

Prysmian Group -- down 1.3% -- on Thursday signed with a pool of leading domestic and international banks the renewal of a long-term sustainability linked revolving credit facility worth EUR1 billion.

Eni, on the other hand, gave up 1.4 percent, the subject of profit taking after five sessions closed on the bullish side.

Subsidiary Saipem also weighed ground, with the stock contracting 1.7 percent. Of note, Marshall Wace on Wednesday raised its short position on the stock to 0.6 percent from 0.48 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, strength on the Cementir Holding stock, which took home 4.0% to EUR7.72 per share, putting it into its fourth straight profitable session.

Juventus Football Club - up 0.8% - confirmed Thursday evening that it had begun the procedure to exit the Super League project. The company reiterated that it is aware of the need for Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and the other clubs involved in the project to give their consent for the withdrawal to take effect.

Credito Emiliano, on the other hand, rallied 3.2 percent, with new price at EUR7.457 per share. High trading volume was recorded on the stock, amounting to more than 519,000 pieces compared to a three-month daily average of about 216,000.

Brunello Cucinelli closed 3.6 percent in the red, following up its eve's decline of 0.2 percent. It should be noted that the company reported Thursday that it closed the first half of the year with revenues up 31 percent year-on-year to EUR543.9 million from EUR415.4 million in the same period last year. Specifically, in Italy, sales increased 24 percent to EUR60.9 million, in Europe -- Italy excluded -- they grew 23 percent to EUR141.9 million, in the Americas they improved 24 percent to EUR189.0 million, and in Asia they rose 56 percent to EUR152.2 million.

Industrie de Nora, on the other hand, gave up 4.1 percent to EUR20.34 per share, despite the fact that it reported Friday that its subsidiary De Nora Italy Hydrogen Technologies Srl - DNHIT - and the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy signed the concession decree granting DNHIT an amount of EUR32.25 million in the form of a contribution to the cost of the Gigafactory project in joint venture with Snam Spa from the IPCEI Fund.

On the Small-Cap, Tessellis closed up 7.5 percent, on the heels of eve's gain, albeit by 0.6 percent.

Restart rose 4.6 percent. The stock--which has been missing the ex-dividend since 2007--has posted about minus 31 percent since the beginning of the year.

Banca Profilo closed up 1.0 percent after announcing on Friday that it has transposed the guidelines that parent company Arepo BP has identified as strategic directions for the development of the group's activities over the next three years, which will be translated into a new business plan 2024-2026 expected by the end of the year. The main goals of the new plan are to leapfrog the size of Private and Investment Banking activities aimed at optimizing the profitability of the businesses, to consolidate the low-volatility earnings capacity developed by Finance, to strengthen the investments made in fintech, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence and digital assets, and to further increase shareholder remuneration by leveraging soundness and profitability.

Among the negative notes, Softlab closed down 4.1 percent, with price at EUR1.64 per share. The stock hit a new 52-week low in the day at EUR1.58 per share.

Red also for d'Amico, in its fifth consecutive session on the bearish side with a 3.6 percent drop.

Among SMEs, Datrix closed up 8.0 percent, with volume of nearly 137,000 traded against a three-month daily average of about 8,800.

Casta Diva Group rallied 9.5 percent, after announcing Thursday that its board had decided to detach an extraordinary dividend totaling EUR4.0 million.

Growens appreciated 6.6 percent after announcing Thursday in the evening that its board of directors approved the guidelines of a transaction involving the promotion, subject to obtaining the necessary authorization from the shareholders' meeting, of a voluntary partial tender offer for a maximum of 2.6 million of its own ordinary shares corresponding to about 17 percent of the total number of ordinary shares issued for a consideration of EUR6.80 per share, amounting to a maximum total countervalue of EUR18.0 million.

Health Italia closed down 4.1 percent after announcing Thursday that it had approved its 2023-2026 business plan, forecasting revenues between EUR50.0 million and EUR52.0 million at the end of the plan. Ebitda is estimated between EUR12.0 million and EUR14.0 million and positive Net Financial Position between EUR15.0 million and EUR16.0 million.

In New York, the Dow Jones closed Friday up 0.3 percent to 34,509.03, the Nasdaq lost 0.2 percent to 14,113.70 and the S&P 500 fell 0.1 percent to 4,505.42.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.1225 against USD1.1242 on Friday in closing European equities while the pound was worth USD1.3084 from USD1.3121 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD79.05 per barrel versus USD79.96 per barrel at Friday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,954.57 an ounce from USD1,958.73 an ounce Friday night.

On Monday's macroeconomic calendar, at 1000 CEST, from Italy, will come the trade balance.

In the afternoon, from the US, an auction of three- and six-month Treasury bonds will be held at 1730.

Among companies in the Piazza Affari, no particular announcements are expected.

By Giuseppe Fabio Ciccomascolo, Alliance News senior reporter

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