(Alliance News) - On Monday, major European stock markets--with the exception of London, closed for Bank Holiday--open higher as expected after China announced new measures to stimulate capital markets and boost investor confidence.

Indeed, over the weekend, Beijing announced the halving of the stamp duty on stock trades and the slowing of the rate of new offerings.

In the U.S., major data, including the August PMI and nonfarm payrolls, are expected in the coming days, which should provide further guidance on the direction of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy, following the slightly upwardly biased remarks made by Chairman Powell during last week's Jackson Hole symposium.

Thus, the FTSE Mib opens up 0.8 percent to 28,427.27, the Mid-Cap is up 0.7 percent to 41,353.07, the Small-Cap is up 0.4 percent to 26,894.35, and Italy Growth advances 0.1 percent to 8,851.20.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is up 0.9 percent and Frankfurt's DAX is up with 0.7 percent while London is closed for Bank Holiday.

On the blue chip list, which is entirely tinged with green with the sole exception of Snam and ERG, which give up 0.3 percent and 0.1 percent, the top is BPER Banca and Iveco Group, which open up 1.6 percent along with Saipem while Banco BPM is up 1.5 percent.

Good buys also on UniCredit, which advances 0.8% while Stellantis rises 1.0%.

On the Mid-Cap, Danieli & C takes the top spot with a plus 4.4% while Juventus FC finishes at the bottom, down 1.4%.

Salcef Group -- in the green by 1.0 percent -- reported Wednesday that its subsidiary Salcef won the tender called by ANAS -- of the FS Italiane group -- for the construction of one of the key projects for the Jubilee 2025 in Rome. Specifically, the project involves the burying of the existing road system in Piazza Pia through the extension by about 130 meters of the existing underpass built as part of the Jubilee 2000 works.

Thanks to this intervention, a continuous pedestrian path will materialize between the area in front of Castel Sant'Angelo and Via della Conciliazione, resulting in an improved usability of a stretch now affected by intense vehicular flow. The contract amount is approximately EUR35 million.

On the Small-Cap, Itway gives up 0.5 percent. The company reported on Friday that its subsidiary 4Science continued its upward trend during the first half of the year, recording 117% growth in orders compared to the first half of 2022, reaching an order value of more than EUR1.2 million.

Monrif opens up 4.1% followed by Sole24 Ore, which advances 3.0%.

Among the bearish performers, Zucchi gives up 3.0%, while LVenture gives up 2.5%.

Among SMEs, Riba Mundo Tecnologìa opens up 2.2% after reporting Friday that the greenshoe option was fully subscribed by Banca Profilo.

The 11,200 shares subscribed by the company's global coordinator and specialist were made available by Marco Dezi at a price of EUR19.70 each, for a total transaction value of EUR220,640. Following the exercise of the greenshoe option, the company's free float increased to 12.1 percent.

International Care Company--up 3.6 percent after closing up 7.7 percent--reported Friday that Intesa Sanpaolo Vita's entry into the company's capital was finalized. The latter subscribed to a EUR500,507.70 reserved capital increase made through the issuance of 238,337 new ordinary shares of ICC at EUR2.10 each and took over 238,338 shares from shareholder FD Holding.

In New York on Friday, the Dow Jones closed up 0.7 percent to 34,346.90, the S&P up 0.7 percent to 4,405.71, and the Nasdaq up 0.9 percent to 13,590.65.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed up 1.7 percent, the Shanghai Composite up 1.1 percent while the Hang Seng is up 1.0 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0818 versus USD1.0787 in Friday's European equities close while the pound was instead worth USD1.2588 from USD1.2571 on Friday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD84.68 per barrel versus USD84.22 per barrel at Friday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,915.44 an ounce from USD1,909.42 an ounce Friday night.

On Monday's economic calendar, note that London will be closed for a Bank Holiday while, at 1000 CEST, Eurozone money supply data is due.

At 1630 CEST, eyes on the Dallas Fed's business index while, at 1730 CEST, an auction of three- and six-month Treasury bonds is scheduled. At 1900 CEST, however, it will be the turn of bonds with two- and five-year maturities.

In the Piazza Affari corporate calendar, however, no particular announcements are scheduled.

By Chiara Bruschi, Alliance News reporter

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