Buying interest on MIB; Stellantis leads the board

(Alliance News) - At the mid-session on Wednesday, major European indices are trading in positive territory as investors continue to bet on a possible easing of tensions between the US and Iran, despite the still fragile situation in the Middle East.

An Iranian Revolutionary Guard official stated on Wednesday that a new war with the US is unlikely, while warning that Iran is ready to react to any attack.

On the domestic macroeconomic front, Italian industrial sales increased on both a monthly and annual basis in March, according to preliminary estimates released by Istat on Wednesday.

Italian industrial sales rose by 2.0% in value month-on-month in March, following a 0.5% increase in February, a figure revised downwards from the 0.6% previously estimated by the statistics institute.

Consequently, the FTSE MIB is up 0.3% at 50,046.46 points, the Mid-Cap advances 0.6% to 62,348.21 points, the Small-Cap gains 0.8% to 35,590.20 points, while the Italia Growth is up 0.4% at 9,017.28 points.

London's FTSE 100 is in the green by 0.1%, while the Paris CAC 40 and Frankfurt's DAX 40 are both up 0.8%.

Returning to Milan, on Piazza Affari's blue-chip list, Stellantis has climbed to the top following positive April sales data. The stock is up 4.6% at EUR7.079 per share.

The group's sales recorded an increase in Europe in April, in line with the general market trend, which saw registrations grow by 5.1% year-on-year. According to data published Wednesday by ACEA, the group formed from the merger of PSA Group and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles reported a 5.5% increase compared to April 2025, with market share rising to 17.1% from 16.5% in April 2025.

The rally in luxury stocks continues, with Brunello Cucinelli up 4.4% and Moncler gaining 4.2%.

Poste Italiane and Telecom Italia are down, falling 0.8% and 0.5% respectively. Poste presented the approximately EUR10.8 billion exchange offer (OPS) announced on March 22 to the TIM board; approval of the prospectus by Bank of Italy and Consob is expected by the end of July.

TIM has moved forward the approval of its half-year accounts and 2026-2028 industrial plan to July 29. The board has also launched the first tranche of the buyback, up to 140 million treasury shares for approximately EUR100 million, as part of the program authorized for up to 700 million shares and EUR400 million in total.

MPS continues to trade with a green candle, up 1.1%. Luigi Lovaglio is strengthening Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena's role in Italian banking consolidation following his reconfirmation at the helm of the Sienese institution.

Speaking at the Uilca congress in Venice, the CEO stated that the bank is 'well-equipped for the future' and that 'all roads now lead to Siena', while the market continues to speculate on possible developments involving Banco BPM and other sector players.

Stocks in the oil and utilities sectors are down: Terna and Hera each shed 1.1%, Snam falls 1.2%, Eni leaves 2.2% on the floor, and Tenaris retreats 3.1%.

Saipem sits at the bottom of the main list, down 3.8%, with over 8 million shares traded.

On the Mid-Cap, buying interest is growing for BFF Bank, which advances 6.0%. The bank's dossier is heating up and could attract the first offers by summer from specialized banks and investment funds interested in the Milanese institution focused on factoring for the public administration.

Advisors Mediobanca and Morgan Stanley have indeed launched initial market soundings to identify a potential partner, while the de-risking plan and the EUR1.2 billion mega-securitization proceed, as reported Wednesday by MF-Milano Finanza.

Strength is seen in Ferretti, which rises 1.7%. Stassi Anastassov is imprinting his vision on the group's future following his appointment as CEO.

In a letter sent to employees, Anastassov stressed that 'every great company must evolve because heritage without innovation becomes nostalgia', reiterating the commitment to 'maintaining the company's Italian soul'.

Banco di Desio e della Brianza - up 1.8% - announced Tuesday that the board of directors has resolved to launch, from June 1, the treasury share buyback program authorized by the shareholders' meeting.

The program involves the purchase of a maximum amount equal to 3% of the share capital, corresponding to 3.9 million treasury shares, for a maximum total value of EUR40 million.

Credito Emiliano is also up marginally. The bank announced Tuesday that it has completed a EUR500 million green bond issuance destined for institutional and professional investors, with orders exceeding EUR1.15 billion and a six-year maturity, strengthening the group's ESG strategy within the framework of the EMTN 2026 program.

Webuild is trading positively - up 1.6% - as it prepares to turn the page on the management front. The Italian infrastructure group announced the consensual termination of employment with Massimo Ferrari, General Manager Corporate & Finance and the manager responsible for preparing corporate accounting documents, a key figure in the transformation of the former Salini Impregilo into the current Webuild.

Technogym sits at the bottom of the mid-cap list, down 3.5%. Berenberg confirmed its 'buy' recommendation on Technogym with an unchanged target price of EUR24.50, considering the long-term growth story's solidity intact despite greater caution on short-term margins. However, the bank revised its 2026-2028 estimates downwards, cutting earnings per share forecasts by an average of 6.5%.

On the Small-Cap, Tesmec takes the lead in the basket and hits a new 52-week high at EUR0.2695 per share, marking an 8.8% gain.

Italian Sea Group advances 8.2%. The company has called a shareholders' meeting for July 22 to examine the measures necessary following the reduction of capital below legal minimums, a consequence of the heavy losses that hit the Marina di Carrara-based nautical group.

Seri Industrial and Ratti performed well, rising 8.3% and 7.8% respectively.

Buying on Aeffe - up 0.3% - which is accelerating its recovery path and has filed a petition with the Court of Bologna for authorization to contract super-priority financing within the framework of the negotiated group crisis settlement.

The company has requested the green light for a bullet loan of up to EUR20 million granted by illimity Bank, with a maximum duration of 18 months and two days and a cost equal to the three-month Euribor zero floor plus a margin of 12%.

The upward momentum continues for BF, which rises 0.6%. Arum and Dompé Holdings announced that Consob has approved the document relating to the total voluntary public tender offer launched on BF ordinary shares.

The acceptance period, agreed with Borsa Italiana, will start on June 8 and end on July 3. The consideration is set at EUR5.00 per share, with payment scheduled for July 10.

Among the SMEs with the highest trading value, Officina Stellare extends its opening gains and advances 7.9% with over EUR1 million worth of shares traded.

expert.ai - up 0.6% - announced that it closed 2025 with a consolidated net loss of EUR5.7 million, an improvement compared to the loss of EUR10.1 million in 2024.

Total revenues rose to EUR42.7 million from EUR27.3 million in the previous year, while the value of production increased to EUR47.8 million from EUR32.4 million.

ESI climbs by double digits at the halfway mark, gaining 11%. The company announced Tuesday that a binding agreement was signed with Innovatec - up 9.1% - for the merger by incorporation of ESI into Innovatec, with the aim of creating a new integrated group in the energy transition and renewables sector.

The operation will begin with an Innovatec rights issue of approximately EUR8.0 million.

IG futures indicate the Dow Jones rising 0.4% or up 214.1 points ahead of Wednesday's opening.

On the currency front, the euro is changing hands at USD1.1642 from USD1.1618 on Tuesday evening, while the pound trades at USD1.3450 from USD1.3438 on Tuesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent trades at USD93.65 per barrel from USD100.30 on Tuesday evening, while gold is worth USD4,489.91 per ounce from USD4,507.56 at Tuesday's close.

Wednesday's economic calendar includes the US 30-year mortgage rate data at 1300 CEST, while weekly oil inventories are due at 2230 CEST.

By Antonio Di Giorgio, Alliance News reporter

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