(Alliance News) - European stock markets on Friday--according to the futures market--move slightly lower, with caution dominating sentiment in anticipation of a major U.S. labor market report that could solidify "bets" on fewer Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year.

In Europe, investors will be watching November data on French industrial production and Italian retail sales, due in the morning.

Thus, the FTSE Mib -- after closing up 0.6 percent at 35,315.51 last night -- in futures marks a fractional decline.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is down 12.10 points, Paris's CAC 40 is giving up 9.90 points, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is giving up 6.30 points.

Among the smaller lists last night, the Mid-Cap gave up 0.1 percent to 47,742.47, the Small-Cap finished in the fractional red at 28,543.59, while Italy Growth lost 0.2 percent to 7,993.32.

On Piazza Affari's largest-capitalization list, Iveco Group did best of all by advancing 5.8 percent.

Prysmian did well, posting plus 3.8 percent, after Wednesday's 0.2 percent decline. The company-which is continuing steadily with its buyback plan-ultimately announced that it has taken over 3,000 of its own ordinary shares for a total value of about EUR187,000.

Azimut Holding - in the green by 1.4 percent - posted net inflows of EUR919 million in December, bringing net inflows for the full year 2024 to reach EUR18.3 billion.

Assets under management reached EUR70.3 billion as of Dec. 31 from EUR60.6 billion in 2023, up 16 percent year-on-year.

Banca Monte dei Paschi advanced 0.8 percent after updating its 52-week high during the session to EUR7.11 per share.

Amplifon - in the green by 0.1 percent - announced that it had completed the acquisition of the entire capital of MagicSon and Sonar, Turin-based companies that collectively own 27 hearing centers in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta.

UniCredit -- in the red by 0.1 percent -- could offer up to EUR4 billion to acquire Banco BPM -- in the green by 1.2 percent -- with a proposal of EUR9.3 per share, representing a 20 percent premium over Banco's current value, as Il Sole 24 Ore writes Thursday.

This offer would be sustainable for UniCredit, which would maintain a CET 1 of over 13 percent, preserving capital for the Commerzbank acquisition and continuing an advantageous capital distribution policy, the newspaper further continues. JPMorgan considers the acquisitions of Banco BPM and Commerzbank strategic, provided the premium does not exceed 20 percent and 15 percent respectively.

BPER Banca - down 0.2 percent - announced that it has completed the placement of a EUR500 million Senior Non Preferred bond issue with a maturity of 6 years and the possibility of early repayment after 5 years, aimed at institutional investors. The issue raised orders of up to approximately EUR2.7 billion from 145 investors. The annual coupon was determined to be 3.625 percent, with issue/re-offer price of 99.771 percent.

On the bottom sits STMicroelectronics, which left 0.9% on the parterre.

On the Mid-Cap, Banca Ifis - best in the cadet segment - advanced 3.8% instead.

Yesterday the bank proposed EUR298 million for 100 percent of the capital of illimity Bank - in the green by 3.8 percent on the small-cap - in a tender and exchange offer, as Il Corriere della Sera recalls Thursday.

Banca Generali -- in the green by 1.9 percent -- reported Thursday that in December it recorded net inflows of EUR980 million, up 18 percent, thus achieving "the best close of the year," the company points out.

For the full year, total cumulative inflows amounted to EUR6.6 billion, up 14 percent year-on-year, exceeding the guidance of EUR6.5 billion.

Anima Holding - up fractionally - on Thursday announced that it had received notification from Etica SGR regarding the start of an industrial project that will prospectively involve the internalization of the management of their mutual funds, currently delegated to Anima SGR.

As the company explained in a note, in order to allow for an accurate assessment of the economic aspects, in 2024 the delegation generated revenues of approximately EUR10.5 million for the Anima group.

Gamma Intermediate completed the placement of 24 million shares in Lottomatica, representing about 9.5 percent of the company's share capital, through a private placement via an accelerated bookbuilding offering. Lottomatica stock closes 1.7 percent in the red.

On the Small-Cap, Bestbe Holding - in the green by 34 percent - is flying at the top after it announced Thursday that 84,706 new shares with the same characteristics and rights as the shares already outstanding were issued to bondholder Tenet Securities, resulting from the conversion of a total of 10 convertible bonds.

On the other side of the list, Digital Bros closed down 7.5 percent, with over 100,000 shares traded.

BasicNet--green by 3.3 percent--reported Thursday that the Kappa brand and soccer club AS Monaco have unveiled an exclusive uniform, developed in collaboration with Parisian haute couture brand KOCHÉ.

Among SMEs, buying on Edgelab, which moved ahead by more than 22 percent - rebounding after a six-session bearish streak - and brings the price to the EUR7.25 per share area.

Double-digit gains also for Giglio.com, up 19 percent. The company launched its Community Shopping project, offering affiliate stores real-time access to a digital catalog of nearly 100,000 items to serve physical boutiques and create synergies among partners.

Directa SIM ends up 1.3 percent, after it announced Thursday that it closed fiscal year 2024 by marking "its own record in the three key growth drivers: number of clients, total assets, and number of executions with related economic value."

The independent investor community marks a 34 percent year-on-year growth.

The total value of client assets for the year 2024 exceeded EUR6.6 billion registering a growth of more than 42 percent compared to approximately EUR4.7 billion in December 2023.

Mere Group -- in the green by 0.0 percent -- announced the achievement of total funding of EUR23.5 million, consisting of EUR15.5 million in equity, subscribed in the recent ABB transaction, and EUR8 million in new financing, which resulted from contracts signed with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti for EUR5 million and with BPER Banca Spa for EUR3 million.

In New York, stock exchanges remained closed for the commemoration of former President Jimmy Carter.

In Asia, the Nikkei gave up 1.1 percent, the Hang Seng is giving up 0.9 percent, and the Shanghai Composite is down 1.3 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0289 against USD1.0300 at Thursday's European equities close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2290 from USD1.2306 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD77.60 per barrel from USD77.06 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold trades at USD2,677.46 an ounce from USD2,684.59 an ounce last night.

Friday's macroeconomic calendar includes at 0900 CET, the release of Spanish industrial production; at 1000 CET, from Italy, an update on retail sales is expected.

In the afternoon, at 1430 CET, the private sector payrolls figure is expected from the US.

The day will close at 1900 CET with the release of the report on U.S. Baker Hughes drilling rigs.

Among the companies in the Square of Business, no particular events are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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