(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari accelerates to the upside after the release of Eurozone macro data and so do the other major European stock exchanges in mid-session Wednesday.

In November, compared with the previous month, industrial producer prices rose 1.6 percent in the euro area and 1.7 percent in the EU, according to Eurostat's first estimates released Wednesday. In October, industrial producer prices had risen 0.4 percent in both the euro area and the EU.

In November compared to November 2023, industrial producer prices fell 1.2 percent from the 3.3 percent decline.

According to European Commission data, however, Eurozone consumer confidence fell 0.7 points from the previous month to minus 14.5 in December, in line with preliminary data.

The FTSE Mib is up 0.8 percent to 35,210.70, the Mid-Cap gives up 0.6 percent to 47,994.95, the Small-Cap rises 0.6 percent to 28,765.51, and Italy Growth gains 0.1 percent to 8,017.97.

London's FTSE 100 is up 0.2 percent to 8,263.27, Paris' CAC 40 is in fractional red at 7,488.08 while Frankfurt's DAX 40 rises 0.4 percent to 20,424.66.

Back in Milan, on the highest-capitalization list in Piazza Affari, Leonardo accelerates and, after an already strong start, rises 4.9 percent at the turnaround.

Also going up is UniCredit, up 2.3 percent, while Banca Mediolanum, up 3.0 percent, closes the podium.

Banca Mediolanum reported Wednesday that it closed the month of December with net inflows of EUR1.01 billion, bringing its full-year net inflows to EUR10.44 billion.

Net inflows in assets under management amounted to EUR981 million and EUR7.64 billion in the year while new loans rose to EUR378 million in December and EUR3.09 billion in the full year. Premiums from protection policies amount to EUR23 million in the month and EUR206 million in the year.

Among the bearish, it ranks at the bottom STMicroelectronics with a 1.2 percent decline.

Enel - up 0.3 percent - announced that it has launched new EUR2 billion of non-convertible, subordinated, hybrid, perpetual, euro-denominated bonds for institutional investors on the European market.

The company reported that the issue received oversubscribed applications more than 3 times, totaling orders amounting to about EUR6.8 billion, and that the positive investor response enabled the achievement of an average cost below current market levels and an average coupon of 4.375 percent.

FinecoBank rises 2.0 percent after reporting that net inflows reached EUR1.22 billion in December, bringing the total since the beginning of the year to EUR10.1 billion and surpassing EUR8.8 billion in 2023, up 15 percent annually.

The asset mix sees a significant managed component of EUR783 million from EUR184 million in December 2023, a figure that represents the best month for the bank in three years, with Fineco Asset Management's retail inflows recording the highest result since January 2023 at EUR501 million.

On the Mid-Cap, Banca Ifis rises 0.8 percent after it announced Wednesday that it has approved the promotion of a voluntary tender offer for all the shares of illimity Bank -- topping the small-cap list with a 10 percent rise -- for EUR298 million.

Specifically, Banca Ifis has proposed that for each illimity Bank share taken up in the offer, a consideration expressing a unit valuation of EUR3.55, based on the official price of Banca Ifis shares as of January 7, will be recognized.

The consideration consists of 0.1 newly issued Banca Ifis share for each illimity Bank share and a cash component of EUR1.414.

Technoprobe gives up 2.8 percent. The company Tuesday announced that it has received notice from controlling shareholder T-PLUS that it has signed a binding agreement to sell Technoprobe shares, amounting to 2.5 percent of the latter's share capital, to Advantest Europe, a wholly owned subsidiary of Advantest Corporation a leading designer and manufacturer of automated test equipment.

Following the sale of 2.5 percent of Technoprobe shares, T-PLUS will hold a 57.96 percent stake in the company's share capital and 70.47 percent of the voting rights.

Webuild -- up 2.4 percent -- announced the opening to the public of the Orange Line -- Line 3 -- of the Riyadh Metro, part of one of the World's largest urban mobility infrastructure projects. The 41-kilometer line is the most extensive driverless metro network in the Saudi capital, which opened last November. Five strategic stations are now operational, including Al-Naseem Station, a transfer point with the Purple Line.

Among the worst performers is Reply, down 3.8 percent. The company reported that Alika has completed the sale of 1 million shares, corresponding to about 2.7 percent of its share capital, at a price per share of EUR149.50.

Following the completion of the transaction, Alika will retain ownership of about 13.9 million Reply shares, representing 37.1 percent of the related share capital and 54.1 percent of the voting rights.

On the Small-Cap, Geox rises 0.3 percent. The company after the Moretti Polegato family advanced the company a check for EUR30 million, corresponding to the first tranche of the capital increase planned by June. This emerges from documentation released by the Montebelluna-based footwear group to illustrate the commitments of the safe LIR, the main shareholder with 71%.

KME Group gains 0.8 percent. The company announced Monday that its subsidiary KME has completed the acquisition of 100 percent of Blackhawk Holding. The latter is a German holding company that wholly owns Sundwiger Messingwerk, a company active in bronze rolled semi-finished products and a manufacturer of brass rolled semi-finished products.

Among SMEs, Circle is up 1.6 percent after announcing Wednesday that InfoEra, a subsidiary company specializing in IT solutions for ports and port communities, was awarded in a Temporary Grouping of Companies together with Circle itself and the company DataCh Technologies the tender for the development and management of digitization services of the Port System Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea Port of Trieste as a private partner of the newly formed joint company "PCS Newco Srl."

The value of the awarded contract is at least EUR5.8 million for the first 6 years, with the possibility of an additional EUR6 million also in the first 6 years.

For the seventh year, up to EUR969,000 is planned, with a further possible extension up to EUR1 million. The maximum total value of the contract thus amounts to EUR13.8 million.

Maps rises 0.3 percent. The company on Tuesday reported that the consortium of companies participated by the company and led by EcoMole Sro, a major Prague-based company, has signed a framework agreement with EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority.

The one-year agreement provides for automatic annual renewal for an additional three years, for a maximum duration of four years, for a total amount of EUR4.0 million.

Among the bearers is Ambromobiliare, which sits on the bottom with a 6.3 percent decline.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed down 0.3 percent at 39,981.06, the Shanghai Composite finished slightly higher at 3,230.17 and the Hang Seng gave up 0.9 percent to 19,279.84.

In New York on Tuesday, the Dow closed down 0.4 percent to 42,528.36, the Nasdaq gave up 1.9 percent to 19,489.68 and the S&P 500 lost 1.1 percent to 5,909.03.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0315 against USD1.0367 in Tuesday's European equities close. The pound is worth USD1.2444 from USD1.2490 last night.

Among commodities, Brent is worth USD77.60 per barrel from USD76.70 per barrel at Tuesday's close. Gold trades at USD2,653.54 an ounce from USD2,651.80 an ounce Tuesday evening.

Wednesday's macroeconomic calendar includes, at 1300 CET, from the US, the mortgage rate report, followed, at 1430 CET, by unemployment benefit claims.

At 1630 CET, the crude oil stocks data will be coming in, while in the evening, at 2000 CET, the minutes of the latest FOMC meeting will be published.

By Giuseppe Fabio Ciccomascolo, Alliance News senior reporter

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