European stock exchanges in the red; down oil and banks on Mib.

(Alliance News) - On Thursday, major European stock markets confirm expectations and open at a loss in a session with no particular macroeconomic expectations but with tensions in the Middle East affecting it.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is in the red by 0.6 percent to 27,976.86, the Mid-Cap rises 0.2 percent to 38,491.56, the Small-Cap is in the red by 0.1 percent to 25,032.83, while Italy Growth is in the fractional red at 7,940.86.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is in the red by 0.9 percent, London's FTSE 100 gives up 0.8 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 loses 0.2 percent.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Nexi, after closing ahead of everyone with a 13 percent gain following rumors from the Bloomberg agency about a possible interest in the Italian company by private equity fund CVC capital, continues to lead the way, rising 1.4 percent.

Mediobanca gives up 0.9 percent. The company reported that Compass, the group's consumer credit company, has finalized the acquisition of 100 percent of HeidiPay Switzerland, a Swiss fintech specializing in Buy Now Pay Later. The deal signed last June strengthens the partnership with HeidiPay, a holding company specializing in the development of fintech platforms to support BNPL in the world of e-commerce and for physical points of sale, in which Compass already holds a 19.5 percent stake as of August 2022.

Stellantis sits at the bottom, giving up 2.0%, but other banks also follow Mediobanca's fortunes and go to the tail, with Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena leaving 1.8% on the parterre as well as BPER Banca.

Also down are Saipem and Tenaris, both down 1.8%.

Italgas gives up 0.5 percent, after two sessions ended with bullish candles. The company announced Monday that it had completed the acquisition from Veolia Environnement Group of the business unit to which the concessions held in Italy in the water sector belong. For the purchase, the company will be able to pay the Veolia group a total of up to EUR115 million -- in terms of equity value --, partly contingent on the achievement of certain targets of the operating companies.

On the Mid-Cap, Banca Popolare di Sondrio gives up 1.4 percent after announcing on Tuesday that it had successfully placed a new covered bond issue with institutional investors for a benchmark amount of EUR500 million and 5-year term. The placement was made as part of the EUR5 billion covered bond program, backed entirely by residential mortgages.

Credito Emiliano -- in the red by 0.8 percent -- reported Monday that rating agency Fitch confirmed the long-term issuer default rating at 'BBB', with stable outlook, and the Viability Rating at 'bbb'.

Salvatore Ferragamo rises 1.2 percent after reporting that it has been admitted to the collaborative compliance regime.

Admission to the regime, which takes effect as early as the 2022 tax year, was preceded by the Internal Revenue Service's verification of the adequacy of the tax governance adopted by the company and the internal control system for detecting, measuring, managing and controlling tax risk, called the Tax Control Framework.

The entire fashion sector does well in the opening, with Tod's gaining 0.6 percent and Brunello Cucinelli--which today awaits the release of its first nine-month results--in the green by 0.1 percent.

On the Small-Cap, Aeffe - unchanged at EUR0.79 per share - reported Monday that it had appointed Davide Renne as Moschino's new creative director.

Itway opens flat after announcing Monday that it has signed a strategic partnership with identity governance company One Identity.

One Identity's products are needed to manage identities and access to corporate resources. One Identity, part of the Quest Software Group, an IT security company based in California, USA, designs and develops identity governance, access management and identity-as-a-service software solutions that help organizations counter security threats.

The Itway Group expects revenues of about EUR4 million in the next two years by operating in the banking and insurance, healthcare, energy, education and public administration sectors.

Edison Rsp - in the red by 0.4 percent - announced last Friday that following the Algerian authorities' approval of the agreements signed on May 4 and June 29, 2022, the sale of the 11.25 percent stake it held in the Reggane Nord license in Algeria to Repsol - for 6.75 percent - and to Wintershall Dea for 4.50 percent became effective.

The Reggane Nord field produces gas that is fully sold to Sonatrach under a long-term contract.

The company informs that the previously disclosed transaction value of approximately USD100 million remains unchanged, as do all other terms and conditions.

Among SMEs, eVISO rises 6.3 percent Thursday after reporting that contracts to supply energy to reseller customers for about 1,000 GWh have been signed to date, compared to the 700 GWh disclosed as of December 2022, for estimated annual revenues of about EUR222 million.

Racing Force - unchanged at EUR4.88 per share - on Thursday reported consolidated sales figures for the first nine months of the year in which revenues amounted to EUR49.8 million, up 9.6 percent from EUR45.5 million in the same period last year.

Third-quarter consolidated revenues were EUR12.6 million, up 6.1 percent from EUR11.9 million in the third quarter of 2022.

In Asia, the Nikkei gave up 1.9 percent to 31,430.62, the Hang Seng is in the red 2.2 percent 17,345.68, and the Shanghai Composite gave up 1.7 percent to 3,005.39.

In New York on Wednesday, the Dow Jones closed 1.0% in the red at 34,575.533,665.08, the S&P finished down 1.3% at 4,314.60, while the Nasdaq closed 1.6% in the red at 13,314.30.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0544 against USD1.0530 recorded in Wednesday's European equities close, while the pound was worth USD1.2138 from USD1.2145 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD90.92 per barrel from USD91.11 per barrel at Wednesday's close. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD1,962.50 an ounce from USD1,944.55 an ounce on Wednesday evening.

On Thursday's macroeconomic calendar, the current account balance from the Eurozone is due at 1000 CEST.

From the U.S., at 1430 CEST, unemployment benefit claims are due while, at 1600 CEST, the existing home sales report will arrive. At 1800 CEST, eyes on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's speech, while another speech by FOMC member Harker will close the day.

On the corporate calendar, coming up are the nine-month results of Brunello Cucinelli, Gismondi 1754 and Salvatore Ferragamo.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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