(Alliance News) - European stock markets-according to the futures market-are positioned to open higher on Wednesday, with investors awaiting the important U.S. inflation report, which could influence the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates due later this month.

Just on the subject of inflation, the annual rate in the UK unexpectedly fell to 2.5 percent in December, down from 2.6 percent in November, and compared to forecasts of 2.6 percent. The data were released Wednesday by the Office for National Statistics.

Thus, the FTSE Mib-after closing up 0.9 percent at 35,124.59-marked a gain of 102.50 points.

Among the smaller listings last night, the Mid-Cap finished in the fractional red at 46,764.90, the Small-Cap gave up 0.3 percent to 27,928.86 as did Italy Growth at 7,901.20.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is posting a gain of 35.80 points, Frankfurt's DAX 40 is advancing 39.50 points, and Paris' CAC 40 is posting a gain of 24.90 points.

On the Mib last night, Intesa Sanpaolo took the top spot by rising 2.8 percent. The company on Tuesday signed a new "four-year agreement for the growth of Italian companies" with Confindustria.

"The joint program makes EUR200 billion available between now and 2028 to give new impetus to the national production system, seize the opportunities of instruments such as Transition 5.0 and IA, thus complementing the resources already allocated by the Bank for the realization of the PNRR objectives," the statement read.

Banca Popolare di Sondrio, up 2.5 percent, BPER Banca up 2.3 percent, and Pirelli, which rallied 2.2 percent, followed. Of note, Goldman upgraded the stock to 'buy' from 'neutral' and raised its target price to EUR7.10 from EUR6.40.

TIM closed up 0.6 percent. Vivendi on Tuesday announced that it intends to proceed by appealing the decision of the Court of Milan in its legal battle with Telecom Italia.

In fact, the court declared "inadmissible for lack of interest to act" and "lack of standing" the French's claims regarding the transaction by which Telecom Italia carried out the sale to KKR of NetCo, decided by the board without going through the extraordinary shareholders' meeting.

UniCredit -- in the green by 1.5 percent -- is preparing to launch Quantico, a new company dedicated to club deals, in collaboration with the wealth and large corporate division. As Milano Finanza writes Tuesday, the goal is to expand the investment offering for private and ultra-high-net-worth clients, similar to Mediobanca's The Equity Club model.

Banco BPM - in the green by 1.6 percent - is devising strategies to counter or slow down UniCredit's OPS, banking on a possible revival of the takeover bid on Anima Holding - in the green by 1.8 percent on the Mid - as reported by Milano Finanza Tuesday.

Launched in November for EUR1.58 billion--EUR6.2 per share--the offer saw Anima's stock rise above the offered price, fueling expectations of a rally.

Nexi gave up 6.8 percent and ended at the bottom along with Campari, which lost 2.8 percent, and DiaSorin, down 1.0 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, MAIRE closed slightly lower. It announced Tuesday that KT-Kinetics Technology, backed by NextChem's technological know-how, has been awarded by Pengerang Biorefinery Sdn Bhd the licensing and engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning services for a hydrogen production unit to be located in Johor, Malaysia.

Fincantieri, up 0.9 percent, announced Tuesday that it had completed the acquisition of Leonardo's Underwater Armament Systems business--up 1.7 percent--through the purchase of the entire share capital of the newco WASS Submarine Systems.

The deal, initiated by a binding agreement on May 9, saw Leonardo receive an initial payment of EUR287.0 million, based on a fixed enterprise value of EUR300.0 million, the company explained in a note.

El.En. - in the red by 0.4 percent--reported Monday the start of its share buyback program, which was authorized by the April 29 shareholders' meeting. The plan, which began on Jan. 13 and will end on Oct. 28, calls for the purchase of up to 100,000 ordinary shares, equal to 0.1 percent of the share capital, for a maximum value of EUR1.2 million.

On the Small-Cap, Giglio Group - in the green by 4.8 percent - announced that it has signed a strategic agreement with SpinQ, a global leader in the research and production of quantum computers. "This cooperation represents a breakthrough in the technological landscape: for the first time, the potential of quantum computing will be available to companies, universities and researchers around the world through OmniaQuantum, at a consumer price, on sale from today distributed by Giglio Group," reads the company note.

Piquadro--up 1.5 percent--reported Monday that it closed the first nine months with revenues up 2.4 percent year-on-year to EUR134.6 million from EUR131.5 million in the same period a year earlier.

Itway, on the other hand, closed in the red by 5.7 percent.

Among SMEs, Next Geosolutions Europe, down 0.1 percent, on Tuesday reported the completion of the transaction to purchase the vessel "Deep Helder" from Dutch company SeaMar Subsea BV. The total investment for the purchase of the vessel amounts to EUR21 million.

Gibus, up 3.5 percent, reported Tuesday that its board of directors approved consolidated operating revenues as of December 31, which came in at EUR84.6 million, down 7.4 percent from EUR91.4 million in 2023.

CleanBnB closed in the red by 6.7 percent, after two sessions closed with bullish trends. During 2024 it reported strong growth in its property portfolio, which reached 2,943 units, up 22 percent from 2,422 at the end of 2023. The properties are distributed in more than 100 Italian locations and managed exclusively, mostly under the "FULL package" formula of full management.

In New York last night, the Dow advanced 0.2 percent, the Nasdaq closed in the red by 0.2 percent, and the S&P 500 in the green by 0.1 percent.

Among the Asian exchanges, the Shanghai Composite marked minus 0.4 percent, the Hang Seng is advancing 0.3 percent, while the Nikkei marked minus 0.1 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0292 against USD1.0290 at Tuesday's European equities close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2183 from USD1.2186 last night.

Among commodities, boost on oil with Brent crude worth USD80.26 per barrel from USD79.96 per barrel in Tuesday's European stock close. Gold trades at USD2,681.70 an ounce from USD2,673.33 an ounce Tuesday evening.

Wednesday's economic calendar has German GDP at 1000 CET and Eurozone industrial production will come out at 1100 CET.

In the afternoon, at 1300 CET, US mortgage data will come out while at 1430 CET the consumer price index is expected.

At 1630 CET, also from the US, crude oil stocks will be released.

In Piazza Affari, no special events are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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