(Alliance News) - On Thursday, major European stock markets confirm expectations and open in negative territory on a quiet morning from a macro standpoint and while the publications of half-yearly reports continue in Piazza Affari.

Thus, the FTSE Mib opens down 1.6 percent to 31,338.12 the Mid-Cap is in the red 1.2 percent to 44,527.55, the Small-Cap gives up 1.0 percent to 27,719.00, while Italy Growth is down 0.1 percent to 7,822.64.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is in the red by 0.8 percent, London's FTSE100 is down 1.1 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 loses 0.7 percent.

There are only two listings in the green on the Mib: A2A and Interpump, both up 0.1 percent. The latter reported on Wednesday that its board of directors approved its half-year report as of June 30, a period that ended with a consolidated net profit of EUR130.1 million from EUR168.5 million in the same period of 2023, thus down 23%.

Net sales amounted to EUR1.10 billion from EUR1.18 billion in the same period of 2023.

Azimut -- in the red by 1.2 percent -- reported Wednesday that it recorded net inflows of EUR604 million in July, of which 74 percent, or EUR445 million, was directed toward managed solutions.

This brings total net inflows since the beginning of the year to EUR10.6 billion. In addition, the company has updated and forecast for full-year net inflows, now estimated to exceed EUR14 billion.

The banking sector weighed, with BPER Banca and Banco BPM sitting on the bottom and both giving up 3.2 percent.

Banco BPM for its part let it be known that it closed the first half of the year with an adjusted net profit of EUR776 million, up 19% from EUR as of June 30, 2023. The company also explained that it reported a performance in the first six months that exceeded plan targets. Net interest income stood at EUR1.72 billion during the period, up 11 percent from EUR1.55 billion in the first half of 2023.

BPER Banca also reported on Wednesday that it ended the first half of the year with a profit attributable to the parent company of EUR724.2 million from EUR704.6 as of June 30, 2023.

Net interest income for the period stood at EUR1.68 billion from EUR1.54 billion in the first half of 2023.

Net commissions as of June 30 were EUR1.01 billion from EUR963.2 million in 2023.

On the cadet list, Anima Holding gives up 2.2 percent after announcing the acquisition by subsidiary Castello SGR of the operating arm of Halldis Spa a company active in the professional management of residential properties for rental.

The acquisition was made through a recently established instrumental company, Vita Srl.

The consideration for the transaction is EUR2.6 million.

Credito Emiliano -- down 1.6 percent -- closed down for the fourth session in a row. It reported Monday that it closed the first half with a profit of EUR323.8 million from EUR298.7 million as of June 30, 2023. During the period, net interest income amounted to EUR617.9 million from EUR539.7 million in the first half of 2023, while net interest and other banking income amounted to EUR1.03 billion from EUR968 million in the same period last year.

Fincantieri gives up 2.6 percent after it announced Tuesday that Vard, the group's Norwegian subsidiary, has signed a contract for the design and construction of a modern Energy Construction Vessel for Wind Energy Construction, a Norwegian company partly owned by the founders of Norwind Offshore. The parties also agreed on an option for a second vessel. The new vessel, scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2027, will be built, outfitted, commissioned and delivered at the Vard Vung Tau shipyard in Vietnam.

Among the bullish performers is Piovan, in the green by 0.4 percent. The company reported its first-half results on Wednesday, closing with an adjusted net profit of EUR22.9 million from EUR20.7 million in the first half of 2023.

Net income amounted to EUR28.2 million, up from EUR21.8 million in the same period of 2023.

Revenues amounted to EUR287.5 million from EUR290.1 million as of June 30, 2023.

On the Small-Cap, illimity Bank gives up 1.4 percent after it reported Thursday that it closed the first half of the year with a net profit of EUR23 million from EUR52.2 million as of June 30, 2023.

Net interest income for the period was EUR78.5 million from EUR97.7 million in the first half of 2023.

doValue gives up 2.7 percent after reporting that it ended the first half of the year with a collection of EUR2.10 billion, down 14 percent from EUR2.43 billion in the same period last year.

Gross revenues fell to EUR216.5 million from EUR228.9 million while net revenues dropped to EUR194.0 million from EUR207.7 million on operating costs of EUR128.9 million from EUR127.9 million.

Acinque--not yet affected by the exchanges--reported Wednesday that a pool of leading lending banks consisting of Mediobanca, also acting as coordinating bank and agent bank, Intesa SanpaoloIMI/CIB, BPER Banca, Crédit Agricole Italia and Banco BPM, has made available to the company a loan totaling EUR145 million, partially backed by an Archimede Guarantee issued by SACE.

The transaction enables Acinque to finance and/or refinance part of the group's capital expenditures.

CY4Gate - in the green by 0.3 percent - on Thursday reported that it has signed contracts totaling about EUR1.2 million in the past month for solutions in Cyber Security and Decision Intelligence.

The contracts, with a total duration of three years, were finalized with leading Italian industrial entities and institutional bodies.

Tesmec - in the red by 2.4 percent - reported Tuesday that it closed the first half of the year with a loss of EUR2.2 million down from a EUR2.6 million liability in the first half of 2023. Revenues amounted to EUR124.2 million from EUR125.3 million as of June 30, 2023.

Among SMEs, La Sia is not yet affected by trading. The company announced Wednesday that it has won three tenders worth a total of about EUR1.5 million, issued by Poste Italiane and Agenzia del Demanio.

Comal - down 0.9 percent - reported Wednesday that it had signed a contract worth about EUR17.6 million with a leading Italian energy company for the turnkey, EPC-M - engineering, procurement, construction and management - formula supply of a photovoltaic plant, in southern Italy.

Masi Agricola - in the green by 0.5 percent - reported Tuesday that it closed the first half with a drop in profit to EUR22,000 from EUR1.8 million as of June 30, 2023. Net revenues for the period stood at EUR30.2 million, down 8.8 percent from EUR33.1 million in the first half of 2023.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed down 0.7 percent at 34,831.15, the Shanghhai Composite is on parity at 2,869.90 while the Hang Seng is in fractional green at 16,879.06.

In New York at Wednesday's close, the Dow lost 0.6 percent to 38,763.45, the Nasdaq gave up 1.1 percent to 16,195.81 and the S&P 500 fell 0.8 percent to 5,199.50.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0936 versus USD1.0926 in Wednesday's closing European equities while the pound was worth USD1.2691 from USD1.2714 as of Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is trading at USD77.86 per barrel versus USD78.61 per barrel at Wednesday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD2,434.95 an ounce from USD2,392.98 an ounce on Wednesday evening.

Thursday's macroeconomic calendar includes, at 1430 CEST, from the US, the unemployment claims data, while at 2100 CEST a speech by Barkin of the FOMC is expected. Finally, at 2230 CEST, the Federal Reserve's weekly bilacio.

At 2130 CEST, however, a speech by McCaul of the ECB is expected.

Among companies in Piazza Affari, the accounts of Bialetti Industrie, Emak, GVS, Italian Exhibition Group, Riba Mundo Tecnologia, Salcef Group, Servizi Italia, Technoprobe, Trevi Finanziaria Industriale, and Unipol are expected.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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