(Alliance News) : European stock markets closed the final session of the week in positive territory, bolstered by improving geopolitical sentiment after President Trump canceled planned strikes against Iran on Thursday night and reiterated the potential for an imminent diplomatic resolution.
The de-escalation of Middle Eastern tensions triggered profit-taking in the energy sector, with oil prices retreating and a subsequent reduction in the risk premium embedded in European assets.
On the monetary front, trading floors continue to price in a further rate hike by the ECB by September, while keeping the door open for a potential tightening as early as July.
In this context, the MIB closed up 2.0% at 51,497.21 points, the Mid-Cap rose 2.8% to 63,654.51, the Small-Cap gained 1.4% to 36,196.50, and Italy Growth edged up 0.1% to 9,111.82.
Other European bourses also finished in the green, with the CAC gaining 1.8%, matching the DAX 40, while the FTSE 100 advanced 1.6%.
On the MIB, Buzzi pushed its price up by 5.7%, recovering from a 0.5% loss in the previous session.
Strength was also seen in Mediobanca, which climbed 4.6% following a 0.1% gain on Thursday evening. The stock, which carries an estimated 2026 P/E ratio of 16x on the MarketScreener platform, saw its price reach the €25.77 per share area.
UniCredit, up 4.1%, announced Friday that as of early afternoon, 133.8m shares had been tendered to its exchange offer for Commerzbank AG. This represents 11.9% of the German bank's capital and voting rights, and 12.4% of voting rights excluding treasury shares. The offer, announced on May 5, provides 0.485 new UniCredit shares for every Commerzbank share tendered and will remain open until June 16, subject to any extensions under German law.
Leonardo, which closed down 0.4%, reported Friday that its results within the 2025 European Defence Fund were "particularly significant." According to a group statement, 15 projects were selected out of 18 proposals submitted, including 11 capability development projects and four research projects, totaling €64m in funding.
Stellantis gained 1.7%. Notably, the company, alongside Renault and Volkswagen, has joined forces to advocate for stronger "Made in EU" criteria. This move aims to bolster the competitiveness of the European automotive industry against rising competition from low-cost Chinese electric vehicles, as reported Friday by the Financial Times.
In the mid-cap segment, Cementir Holding finished up 8.5%, rebounding from an 1.8% loss the previous day.
Ferretti gained 1.7%. The company clarified that "no negotiations are underway" for the acquisition of the entire capital of TISG or its primary assets: "At the same time, as a leading operator in the Italian nautical sector and in line with its external growth strategy, Ferretti constantly evaluates and monitors opportunities that may arise on the market," a note stated.
Carel Industries slipped 1.0% after a 0.5% gain in the prior session.
Selling pressure also hit RCS MediaGroup, which fell 1.0% following a 1.1% decline the day before.
On the Small-Cap index, Tesmec drove its price up by over 13%, marking its third consecutive bullish session.
FILA gained 2.9%. The company could benefit from the growth of DOMS Industries following the acquisition of certain assets related to the Reynolds brand from Newell Brands subsidiaries. Intesa Sanpaolo confirmed its "buy" recommendation on the stock with a target price of €14.3.
In a note by Giada Cabrino, the bank noted that the transaction, valued at approximately $3.7m excluding inventory, includes manufacturing assets, intellectual property, contracts, and employees related to Reynolds' operations in the writing instruments and school products segment.
Borgosesia, up 0.3%, approved on Friday the issuance of a three-year senior, non-subordinated, unsecured, and non-convertible bond for a maximum amount of €35m. The first issuance is expected by June 30.
Among SMEs, Emma Villas advanced 8.5% after two bearish sessions. The stock on MarketScreener, based on a single analyst, shows a target price of €2.90, suggesting it is significantly undervalued according to the valuation.
FAE Technology rose 5.9% to €3.39 per share. Alantra confirmed its "buy" rating and maintained a target price of €4.1, highlighting that a recovery in demand in the second half of 2025, a strengthening order book, and expansion into higher-value segments support the group's growth outlook for 2026.
In a note by Luca Arena, Andrea Zampaloni, and Filippo Mazzoleni, analysts recalled that 2025 closed with revenues of €66.5m, down 7.4% year-on-year, affected by weak demand in the electronics sector, particularly in applications related to electrification and the energy transition.
Iniziative Bresciane, down 1.8%, announced Friday that its board of directors approved the merger plans for the incorporation of Adda Energia Srl and Appennino Energia Srl. On the same day, the merger plans were also approved by the respective administrative bodies of the companies involved.
E-Globe, meanwhile, fell 4.6% to a price of €0.49, following a bearish candle of 1.9% the previous day.
In New York, the Dow is gaining 0.6%, the Nasdaq is down 0.2%, while the S&P 500 is advancing 0.2%.
On the currency front, the euro is trading at $1.1581 from $1.1520 on Thursday evening, while the pound is trading at $1.3417 from $1.3338 last night.
Among commodities, Brent crude is trading at $86.80 per barrel from $93.19 on Thursday evening, while gold is valued at $4,213.42 per ounce from $4,079.48 at yesterday's close.
Monday's macroeconomic calendar includes the wholesale price index in Germany at 0800 CEST, while Italy's trade balance data will be available at 1000 CEST.
From the US, industrial and manufacturing production data will be released at 1515 CEST.
No major corporate announcements are scheduled on the calendar.
By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter
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