(Alliance News) - Major European marketplaces are expected to rise Thursday morning, with the focus shifted to today's U.S. PPI numbers, while on the monetary front President Christine Lagarde confirmed last night that the European Central Bank will raise its rates by another half a percentage point in March.

U.S. markets-like European markets yesterday-also had a strong session. "The milder weather in January seems to have driven strong growth across the country, with restaurant sales up 7.2 percent," commented Michael Hewson, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets, "but while this is great news for the U.S. economy, it is bad news for those who think the Fed will have to slow the pace of its rate hike cycle in the coming months.

For today, "we anticipate a positive European opening and another record high for the FTSE100, with the focus shifted to today's U.S. PPI numbers for January and a confirmation that supply chain and factory costs are also falling sharply," analsita concluded.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is expected up 150.0 points or 0.5 percent after closing in the green by 0.1 percent at 27,533.69.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is expected up 33.2 points or 0.5 percent, London's FTSE 100 is given up 19.7 points or 0.3 percent and while Frankfurt's DAX 40 is expected to be in the green 67.0 points or 0.4 percent.

On Wednesday evening, the Mid-Cap closed up 0.3 percent at 44,789.18, while the Small-Cap was up 0.3 percent at 30,349.10 and Italy Growth was on par at 9,671.09.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Interpump Group closed up 0.9 percent. The company approved its December 31 interim report, which closed with consolidated net income for the period at EUR269.6 million from EUR198.5 million, up nearly 36 percent.

Net sales for the year were EUR2.07 billion, up 30 percent on the previous year.

FinecoBank closed in the red by 0.8 percent. It announced Wednesday that it is considering a possible issuance of senior preferred instruments.

To that end, Fineco has mandated BNP Paribas and UniCredit Bank--already arrangers of the EMTN program--as well as Société Generale, all as joint bookrunners and joint lead managers, to organize dedicated meetings with potential investors in Europe, starting today.

Azimut Holding ended down 2.4 percent. The company announced Wednesday that just hours after the sale was initiated, Timone Fiduciaria completed the sale of 1.3 million ordinary shares of Azimut Holding.

The shares, representing 0.9 percent of the company's capital, were sold at an average unit price of EUR22.35 each, for a total consideration of EUR28.2 million.

Snam closed down 0.1 percent after denying on Wednesday rumors that it is considering issuing a convertible bond to exit the capital of Italgas, which finished down 2.8 percent.

"Snam clarifies that it has not taken any action in relation to the Italgas stake it holds. Hypotheses about financial transactions initiated are unfounded to date," explained the utility, which holds 13.5 percent of Italgas.

On the Mid-Cap, Autogrill was up 0.6 percent. The company announced Wednesday that it had approved preliminary figures for 2022, reporting full-year consolidated revenues at EUR4.14 billion, up 50 percent from EUR2.60 billion in 2021.

An increase, the company explained in a note, mainly driven by the recovery of international air traffic in all of the group's key geographies and "the activation of appropriate commercial levers to address the current inflationary environment."

Anima Holding closed up 3.1 percent after Mediobanca announced Wednesday morning that it had concluded on behalf of FSI the purchase of 25.0 million ordinary shares of Anima Holding in a "reverse accelerated bookbuilding" procedure. The total consideration, based on a price per share of EUR4.35, is equivalent to a EUR108.7 million outlay for the strategic fund.

In detail, a maximum of 31.2 million ordinary shares of Anima Holding, representing 9.0 percent of the latter's share capital, will be taken over.

"The Italian Strategic Fund's blitz on Anima Holding's capital rekindles the spotlight on the world of asset management and, upstream, on the banking risiko and the birth of that third pole long hoped for by the government," comments Francesco Bonazzi.

Acea--which closed with a 0.4 percent loss--reported Tuesday evening that Michaela Castelli had resigned, effective immediately, from her position as director and board chair for personal reasons.

On the Small-Cap, Sabaf -- up 0.5 percent -- on Tuesday approved its results as of December 31, 2022, reporting a 3.9 percent drop in revenues to EUR253.1 million from EUR263.3 million a year earlier.

Net income for the period was EUR15.7 million, down 34 percent from EUR23.9 million in FY2021.

Elica -- in the green by 2.3 percent -- reported on Tuesday that it achieved revenues of EUR548.6 million in FY2022, up 1.4 percent from EUR541.3 million in FY2021.

Ebitda as of December 31, 2022 amounted to EUR50.8 million up 32 percent from EUR38.5 million in the year 2021.

GPI - in the red by 3.6 percent - on Wednesday reported that its board of directors reviewed its consolidated pre-consolidated figures for the year 2022, which ended with total revenues of more than EUR355 million, up from EUR326.9 million achieved in 2021.

Among SMEs, CY4Gate - in the red by 1.5 percent - reported Tuesday that the total value of contracts acquired in recent weeks in the cybersecurity segment amounts to about EUR1.3 million, for the duration of one year.

Farmaé closed in the green by 1.0 percent after announcing Tuesday that it had reported a 41 percent increase in 2022 consolidated revenues to EUR116.6 million from EUR82.5 million recorded as of Dec. 31, 2021, and up 13 percent from EUR102.5 million in pro forma 2021 consolidated revenues.

In New York - on the European night - the Dow closed in the green by 0.1 percent, the Nasdaq closed up 0.9 percent, and the S&P 500 finished in the green by 0.3 percent.

In Asia, the Hang Seng advanced 0.8 percent, the Shanghai Composite gave up 1.0 percent, and the Nikkei was in the green by 0.7 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0707 versus USD1.0677 at Wednesday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2048 from USD1.2019 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD85.93 per barrel versus USD84.11 per barrel on Wednesday evening. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,839.25 an ounce from USD1,831.95 an ounce at Wednesday's close.

On Thursday's economic calendar, at 0900 CET, Istat will release Italy's non-EU trade balance, while at 1000 CET will come our country's balance relative to European countries.

At the same time, it is the turn of the ECB monthly report while in the afternoon, at 1430 CET are expected of US building permits.

Also from the U.S. and also at 1430 CET, the index of main producer prices and initial claims for unemployment benefits will come out.

Among the companies in Piazza Affari, the results of Pattern and Saccheria F.lli Franceschetti are expected.

By Chiara Bruschi, Alliance News reporter

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