(Alliance News) - The Mib trades bullish on Thursday, setting the point bar in the 28,100 area, as corporate interim reports appear increasingly in the packed corporate calendar.

Investors continue to assess the state of inflation, interest rates and the health of the global economy. Traders are concerned about soaring oil prices and global bond yields that support a scenario of higher interest rates for a longer period.

The FTSE Mib, has a bullish reading of 0.3 percent at 28,094.49.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is giving up 0.1 percent, Paris' CAC 40 is rising 0.3 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is advancing 0.2 percent.

Among the smaller lists, the Mid-Cap is up 0.6 percent to 38,233.58, the Small-Cap is in the green 0.4 percent to 25,624.05, and Italy Growth is giving up 0.2 percent to 8,304.08.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Monte dei Paschi is off to a good start, posting a plus 1.5% at EUR2.42 per share after two sessions closed amid declines.

Boost also on Saipem, which moves ahead 0.8 percent to EUR1.46 on the back of the bullish trend in the barrel price, as well as parent company Eni, which moves up equally with 0.8 percent.

On a negative note, Amplifon is giving up 1.2%, after 0.1% in the previous session.

Inwit, on the other hand, is retreating 0.7%, in its fourth session on the bearish side. On the stock it is mentioned that Barclays on Tuesday raised the target to EUR13.70 from EUR13.50 with 'overweight' title.

On the mid-cap side, Danieli & C. - up 3.4 percent - reported Tuesday that it closed the 2022-2023 fiscal year with year-on-year revenue up to EUR4.10 billion from EUR3.62 billion in the previous year. The stock fluctuated upward by 1.8 percent. The board proposed the distribution of a dividend of EUR0.31 for ordinary shares -- worth a total of EUR11.6 million -- and EUR0.3307 for savings shares, worth EUR12.1 million. Last year, the company distirbuted a dividend of EUR0.2793 for savings shares and one of EUR0.30 for ordinary shares.

Good buying also on Banca Popolare di Sondrio, which advances 1.8 percent to EUR4.99 per share after three sessions among the bearish. Unipol announced on Thursday that it had successfully completed the purchase of 46.3 million ordinary shares of Banca Popolare di Sondrio, equivalent to about 10.2 percent of its share capital, through a reverse accelerated bookbuilding procedure aimed exclusively at qualified investors and foreign institutional investors.

The consideration for the purchase of the shares under the RABB is EUR5.10 per share,

for a total outlay of approximately EUR235.6 million. Settlement of the RABB will take place on October 2.

Piaggio -- in the green by 1.1 percent -- announced Wednesday that it had successfully placed a EUR250.0 million senior high-yield bond maturing in seven years. The bond has a fixed annual interest rate of 6.5 percent and an issue price of 100 percent.

Salvatore Ferragamo, on the other hand, falls 1.0 percent to EUR12.23. On the stock it is mentioned that Barclays cut its target price to EUR13.00 from EUR14.00.

Selling prevails on Antares, which marks minus 1.7 percent to EUR3.50 per share heading for the 13th session to close on the bearish side.

On the Small-Cap side, selling on Bialetti, which marks a 5.7 percent decline to EUR0.2820. On the stock, it is mentioned that Bialetti Holding Srl bought 315,000 ordinary shares of the company. The shares were taken over at an average price per share of EUR0.2830 or so, for a total value of EUR89,000 or so.

Enervit, on the other hand, gives up 4.7 percent, after a 2.6 percent loss on the eve of the day that followed two sessions closed in the green.

Trevi Finanziaria Industriale--on volatility auction after a 10 percent rise--reported Thursday that it had approved the group's interim report, which closed with net income for the first half of the year of EUR23.6 million, compared with a net loss of EUR19.8 million in the first half of 2022. Revenues were EUR280.3 million compared to EUR236.1 million in the corresponding period of 2022.

The board of Softlab -- also suspended from trading after a 3.9 percent rise -- on Thursday approved the half-year financial report as of June 30, which closed with a profit of nearly EUR1.5 million compared to EUR1.3 million a year earlier in the same period. Revenues came in at EUR11.8 million, a figure that was almost stable over the previous year in the same period.

Among SMEs, Agatos advances 4.0% with price at EUR0.2495, pending half-year results expected later today.

Good buys also on Casta Diva, which marks a plus 3.7% at EUR1.40 per share after the 1.5% green on the eve.

Energy's board of directors -- suspended when it sold off more than 11% -- approved the half-year financial report for the six months ended June 30, which closed with a net profit of EUR5.5 million, or 14% of revenues, down from the same period in 2022 when it was EUR10.7 million, or 20.0% of revenues. Sales revenue was EUR39.3 million, down 26 percent, compared to EUR53.3 million in the first half of 2022.

Alfonsino's board of directors -- down 3.7 percent -- on Thursday approved the half-year financial report as of June 30, which closed with a net loss of EUR800,000 compared to the noted loss of EUR2.0 million in the same period last year. Revenues from sales and services stood at about EUR2.33 million, up 3 percent from June 30, 2023.

In New York overnight Europe, the Dow Jones closed down 0.2 percent, the Nasdaq rose 0.2 percent, and the S&P 500 closed just above par.

Among Asian exchanges, the Nikkei posted minus 1.5 percent, the Hang Seng gave up 1.5 percent, while the Shanghai Composite advanced 0.1 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0504 against USD1.0514 in Wednesday's closing European equities while the pound was instead worth USD1.2138 from USD1.2140 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD97.36 per barrel versus USD94.76 per barrel at yesterday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD1,874.30 an ounce from USD1,885.51 an ounce last night.

On Thursday's afternoon macroeconomic calendar, eyes on U.S. Gross Domestic Product at 1430 CEST, which will arrive at the same time as jobless claims, core PCE and consumer spending. Housing data will arrive at 1600 CEST while closing out the day will be the Federal Reserve's balance sheet, scheduled for release at 2230 CEST.

Among the nearly 60 companies in the Piazza Affari that will release accounts on Thursday, worth mentioning are Agatos, Conafi, Innovatec and TMP Group.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News senior reporter

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