(Alliance News) - On Thursday, major European stock markets confirm expectations and open in negative territory, pending a series of relevant publications on the macroeconomic front between Italy and the Eurozone.

Thus, the FTSE Mib opens in the red 0.6 percent to 34,283.62, the Mid-Cap is down 0.3 percent to 46,257.08, as is the Small-Cap to 28,285.21, and Italy Growth is up 0.1 percent to 7,949.18.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is in the red by 0.5 percent, Paris' CAC 40 gives up 1.1 percent, as does Frankfurt's DAX 40.

In macroeconomic news, retail sales in Germany rose 1.2 percent month-on-month in September, following a downwardly revised 1.2 percent increase in August and beating forecasts of a 0.5 percent decline, according to data released Thursday by the Federal Statistical Office.

In addition, Destatis reported that German import prices fell 1.3 percent year-on-year in September, ending three months of growth and following a 0.2 percent increase in August.

From Japan, the Economy Ministry reported that industrial production in the country rose 1.4 percent month-on-month in September, bucking the 3.3 percent decline in the previous month and exceeding the market consensus of 1.0 percent growth.

Back in Milan, on the highest-capitalization list of the Milan Stock Exchange, Stellantis did best of all, up 1.3 percent. The company reported Thursday that it ended the third quarter of the year with net revenues of EUR33.0 billion from EUR45.1 billion in the corresponding period of 2023, mainly due to lower deliveries and an unfavorable mix, as well as the impact of pricing and foreign exchange, the company explained in a note.

Consolidated deliveries stood at 1.1 million from 1.4 million in Q3 2023, down 20 percent year-on-year.

Tenaris also goes up, in the green by 0.4 percent, while Interpump Group rounds out the podium with a gain of 0.3 percent.

Among the bearish, sits on the bottom Amplifon, down 2.1 percent. The company reported that the group's recurring net income for the first nine months was EUR107.4 million, down 4.8 percent from EUR112.8 million recorded in the same period of 2023, affected by higher depreciation and amortization and financial expenses.

UniCredit--down 0.4 percent--reported Thursday the early closure of the offering period related to the EUR77.0 million fixed-to-variable rate senior bonds maturing Oct. 14, 2037.

The company announced "that the total nominal amount of bonds held by UCB AG was sold on the day of October 30," the note said, which was thus the last day of the offering period.

Prysmian gives up 0.3 percent after it reported Thursday that it closed the first nine months with revenues of EUR12.36 billion from EUR11.82 billion as of Sept. 30, 2024.

Group net income for the period amounted to EUR619 million from EUR575 million in the first nine months of last year.

Inwit gives up 0.6 percent after announcing that it has finalized the transaction to acquire an exclusive controlling stake of 52.08 percent of the share capital of Smart City Roma Spa, which at the end of last year won the tender called by Roma Capitale for the concession of the Roma 5G project.

On the cadet segment, Sesa rises 0.7 percent after announcing Wednesday the acquisition of a 66 percent stake in Greensun, a company specializing in renewable energy and energy-saving technologies.

The acquisition, through its subsidiary PM Service, is the first step in an integration that will lead to Greensun merging with PM Service, creating a national operator with expected annual revenues of about EUR310 million.

The board of Technogym -- in the green by 1.1 percent -- on Wednesday reviewed consolidated revenues of EUR621.6 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2024, up 10 percent from EUR565.2 million for the same period in 2023.

Lottomatica Group -- down 0.3 percent -- reported Wednesday that its board of directors approved its consolidated interim financial statements for the nine months ended Sept. 30, reporting total revenue for the period of EUR27.8 billion, up 28 percent from EUR21.71 billion for the same period in 2023. Revenues increased 19 percent to EUR1.42 billion from EUR1.19 billion in the first nine months of 2023.

On the small-cap side, Risanamento -- flat at EUR0.02 per share -- reported Wednesday that it closed the first nine months of the year with a net loss of EUR27.5 million, which compares with net income of EUR16.7 million in the same period last year.

Production value fell to EUR774,000 from EUR56.7 million a year earlier, with revenues plummeting to EUR111,000 from EUR586.7 million.

Elica gives up 2.2 percent after reporting Wednesday that net income fell 81 percent and revenues are down for the nine months compared to the same period in 2023.

Consolidated revenues in the first nine months reached EUR341.6 million, marking a decline of 5.2% from EUR360.2 million in the same period last year. In the July-September period, revenues amounted to EUR104.2 million, down 1.3 percent from EUR105.6 million in the same period 2023.

Edison is flat at EUR1.82 per share. The company reported that it closed the first nine months of the year with a net profit of EUR403 million from EUR486 million as of September 30, 2023.

Ebitda for the period stood at EUR1.4 billion from EUR1.2 billion in the first nine months of 2023, marking a 13 percent growth.

Among SMEs, Casta Diva Group rose 2.7 percent to EUR1.37 per share. The company announced Thursday that its board of directors resolved to propose to the shareholders' meeting an ordinary cash and in-kind dividend through company shares.

Specifically, it proposed EUR0.03471 per share for a total of EUR693,000 and the allocation of one Casta diva share for every 250 held, for a total of EUR107,000.

Relatech -- flat at EUR2.53 per share -- on Thursday reported revenues of about EUR65.7 million, in line with the first nine months of 2023, when they were EUR66.5 million.

Neosperience rises 4.3 percent after reporting Wednesday revenues for the first nine months of EUR16.2 million, up 14 percent from EUR14.3 million in the same period of 2023.

This figure, the statement said, is in line with budget forecasts contained in the strategic plan presented to investors last July.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed down 0.5 percent to 39,081.25, the Hang Seng was down 0.3 percent to 20,317.33, and the Shanghai Composite finished up 0.4 percent to 3,279.82.

In New York, the Dow Jones closed 0.2 percent in the red at 42,141.54, the Nasdaq fell 0.6 percent to 18,607.93, and the S&P 500 lost 0.3 percent to 5,813.67.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0857 from USD1.0860 on Wednesday in closing European equities. The pound is worth USD1.2989 from USD1.3008 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD71.99 per barrel from USD72.70 per barrel Wednesday night. Gold trades at USD2,789.45 an ounce from USD2,785.06 an ounce last night.

On Thursday's economic calendar, at 1000 CEST will come the unemployment rate from Italy, followed an hour later by the inflation figure that will also be released for the Eurozone.

At 1200 CET, again from Italy, coming in is the industrial sales figure.

From the U.S., at 1330 CET, the data on unemployment claims are expected, while in the evening, at 2130 CET, the Federal Reserve's weekly balance sheet will be available.

Among the companies in the Piazza Affari, among several expected results are those of Convergenze, Esautomotion, Intesa Sanpaolo, NVP, Relatech, Reway Group, STMicroelectronics and VNE.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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