Stock markets in the green; STM and Saipem lead in Milan.

(Alliance News) - On Friday, major European stock markets confirmed expectations and opened in positive territory on a morning full of macroeconomic cues, while news came from the United Kingdom of a crushing Labour victory ending 14 years of Conservative rule.

Thus, the FTSE Mib opens in the green by 0.2 percent at 34,155.34, the Mid-Cap is up 0.3 percent at 47,891.06, as is the Small-Cap at 29,283.07 and Italy Growth at 8,132.41.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is in the green by 0.2 percent, London's FTSE100 is up 0.3 percent and Frankfurt's DAX 40 is up 0.4 percent.

On the Mib, STMicroelectronics, up 1.6 percent, does best, followed by Saipem, in the green by 1.0 percent, and FinecoBank, up 0.8 percent.

The company reported Thursday that net inflows in June amounted to EUR997 million -- compared to EUR764 million in the same month of 2023 -- thus surpassing the EUR5 billion threshold in the first half of the year for the fourth consecutive year. The managed component amounted to EUR424 million, with Fineco Asset Management's retail inflows at EUR215 million and largely offsetting outflows from insurance of EUR84 million.

Strength also on Enel, in the green by 0.7 percent. Terna rises 0.2% after it signed an ESG-linked credit facility agreement with UniCredit on Thursday - up 0.4% - for a total amount of EUR200 million.

The credit facility will have a total term of five years, with an interest rate also linked to Terna's performance on specific environmental, social and governance indicators.

Iveco Group - in the green by 0.3 percent - on Thursday announced that it had signed a Schuldschein loan - a private placement governed by German law - for EUR290 million.

The financing consists of two tranches with three- and five-year maturities, both with floating interest rates.

The proceeds will be used to support the company's financing needs, replacing existing bank lines, the company explained in a note.

Among the bearers, Amplifon sits on the bottom at the start, down 5.5 percent.

The banking sector also goes down, with Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Banca Popolare di Sondrio, and Banco BPM down between 1.0 percent and 0.5 percent.

On the cadet list, Salvatore Ferragamo rises 0.7%. On the stock sim mentions that Goldman Sachs upgraded its recommendation on the stock to 'neutral' from 'sell,' albeit cutting the target price to EUR9.10 from EUR10.00.

The board of directors of Maire Tecnimont -- up 0.1 percent -- on Thursday approved the transfer to its subsidiary NextChem Spa of the entire stake in KT TECH Spa, a company formed as a result of the recent demerger of KT Kinetics Technology Spa, operating in the Integrated E&C Solutions BU.

KT TECH was assigned, effective July 1, the business unit known as "know-how and technology," including personnel, expertise and contracts

related to technologies mainly for hydrogen and methanol production and sulfur recovery.

On the Small-Cap, Aeroporto Guglielmo Marconi Di Bologna--declining 0.3%--reported Thursday that it had reached a new record, with passengers reaching 1.1 million in June, up 8.9% over the same month last year and becoming the month with the highest passenger traffic in the airport's entire history.

Banca Profilo falls 0.5 percent after "commenting" Wednesday in the evening on rumors published by some press outlets regarding the sale of Arepo BP Spa's stake held in Banca Profilo's share capital. Arepo BP, the bank's controlling shareholder and parent company of the Banca Profilo group, confirmed that "an exclusive negotiation is currently underway, the outcome of which will be promptly communicated to the market when all prerequisites are met," the statement read.

IGD SIIQ -- down 0.4 percent -- unveiled the strategic guidelines of its new 2025-2027 business plan on Thursday.

The plan aims again to increase portfolio profitability by leveraging innovation, generate further value with the Third Party Services Business Unit, putting itself forward as a key player in the retail market, invest to keep the assets modern and attractive, improving their environmental sustainability and technological and digital profile, improve the management of financial maturities and make them more consistent with cash flows, consolidate the capital structure also through a targeted plan of divestments and asset rotation, and return to dividend distribution.

The plan will also include a strategy of Divestments and Asset Rotation, with divestments potentially totaling EUR100-120 million.

Among the SMEs, Execus-not yet affected by the exchanges-announced Thursday that it has approved a capital increase of up to EUR2.5 million to be offered by July 8, reserved for qualified investors and strategic partners.

The aucap is to be subscribed in cash with issuance of up to 1.4 million new ordinary shares.

The board of directors set the minimum subscription price at EUR1.76 per share and the maximum subscription price at EUR1.78 per share.

SolidWorld Group-not yet affected by the exchanges-announced Thursday that Dubai-based subsidiary SolidWorld Middle East DMCC has secured a EUR800,000 order to supply two 3D design and printing systems in industrial and textile environments for a major UAE government agency in October

Edil San Felice rises 3.0 percent. The company on Wednesday announced that it was awarded a EUR145.1 million contract in RTI with SACS, Operation and CMO. Edil San Felice's share is EUR13.6 million.

Circle gives up 0.8 percent, after reporting Thursday that it has entered into an agreement with a Mediterranean port for the use of Port Community Services offered by the group. The value of the contract is more than EUR700,000 and will run for about 18 months, expandable to an additional EUR1.0 million for a total value of EUR1.7 million and a period of up to 24 months.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed fractionally in the red at 40,912.37, the Hang Seng gave up 1.0 percent to 17,851.06, and the Shanghai Composite closed down 0.3 percent to 2,949.93.

In New York, markets were closed for Independence Day on July 4.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0823 from USD1.0813 on Thursday in closing European equities while the pound was worth USD1.2770 from USD1.2763 on Thursday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude trades at USD87.54 per barrel from USD87.52 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD2,371.50 an ounce from USD2,358.00 on Thursday evening.

On Friday's macroeconomic calendar, Italy's retail sales figure is due at 1000 CEST, followed an hour later by the same Eurozone figure.

In the afternoon, from the US comes the US unemployment figure. At 1900 CEST, however, it will be the turn of the Baker Hughes drilling rigs report.

At 2130 CEST, as usual on Friday, the COT Report will be released.

On the corporate calendar, no events are scheduled.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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