(Alliance News) - On Thursday, European markets, according to the futures market, are pointing toward an upward opening, likely extending the previous session's gains, as investors await the U.S. inflation report that is expected to show further easing of price pressures, supporting the case for less aggressive Federal Reserve tightening.

On the Federal Reserve's possible path, in the CME Group platform's FedWatch Tool -- using futures also based on the actual federal funds rate, or EFFR -- the main rate hike for the Feb. 1 meeting has a probability priced at 75 percent on the upper range of 450/475 bps. In contrast, the probability of an increase in the 475/500 bps area is at 25%. The current target is between 425 and 450 bps.

On the corporate front, before the bell rings, it is reported that Eni announced that on January 16 it will start offering its first bonds linked to its sustainability goals. The bonds will have a term of five years and a total value of EUR1 billion, which can be doubled in case of excess demand from investors.

Thus, the FTSE Mib marks a gain of 50.00 points, after closing up 0.7 percent at 25,546.86 last night.

The FTSE 100 rises 22.30 points, Paris' CAC 40 rises 26.20 points, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 rises 42.50 points.

Among the smaller lists last night, the Mid-Cap rose 0.5 percent to 41,626.14, the Small-Cap rose 0.3 percent to 28,979.73, and Italy Growth finished up 0.4 percent to 9,485.48.

On the main list of Piazza Affari last night, Iveco Group -- up 5.2 percent -- confirmed that Iveco Bus, the group's brand, has signed a three-year framework agreement for the supply of up to 150 E-WAY full electric city buses to Busitalia, the bus company of the FS Italiane Group that operates mainly in local public transport services, directly and through subsidiaries. It will represent, Iveco adds, the largest E-WAY city bus order to date in Italy.

The rest of the Agnelli Galaxy saw Ferrari in the green by 1.6 percent, Stellantis in the red by 0.1 percent, and CNH in fractional green at EUR15.71 per share.

Banca Generali -- in the green by 2.2% -- reported Wednesday that total net inflows in December were EUR640 million, compared to EUR849 million in December 2021. The last month was the best of the year 2022 and since January total inflows were over EUR5.70 billion, compared to EUR7.69 billion in all of 2021.

Buzzi Unicem gained 0.7 percent. On the stock it is reported that Beremberg brought down the target price to EUR20.00 from EUR22.00.

UBS raised the fair value of Azimut to EUR22.00 from EUR16.00, with the stock standing bullish by 2.6%.

Among the bearish, Saipem gave up 4.1 percent, while Tenaris rose 1.2 percent.

According to the latest report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, crude oil inventories in the United States increased by 19.0 million barrels in the week ended Jan. 6, the most since February 2021 and compared to market expectations of a 2.2 million drawdown.

On the cadet segment, Brunello Cucinelli slipped 3.8 percent on the heels of the eve's red with 0.8 percent. The stock is subject to fair value uplift by Goldman Sachs and Société Générale.

Seco--down 0.5 percent--reported on Wednesday that it had processed its pre-closing revenues for fiscal year 2022, which amount to EUR200 million, up 78 percent from 2021 and in line with the official guidance communicated to the market last April.

Organic growth was 43%, while like-for-like growth was 36%.

On the Small-Cap side, Fidia, on the other hand, rose 3.4 percent. The stock - on the MarketScreener platform - shows a 'bearish' indication on the short term, 'neutral' on the medium term and again 'bearish' on the long term.

Cellularline - down 0.3 percent - announced Monday evening that the board of directors had appointed Marco Cagnetta, co-ceo of the Cellularline group, as interim investor relator of the company.

Piquadro - up 3.0 percent - on Tuesday reported consolidated sales figures for the first nine months ended Dec. 31, 2022, amounting to EUR126.8 million and up 16 percent from the same period last year, when they were EUR109.4 million.

Among SMEs, Grifal did best of all in the green by 19 percent, following its agreement with the José Neves Group to produce corrugated cardboard.

EdiliziAcrobatica - in the red by 0.1 percent - reported Wednesday that it ended 2022 with a 17 percent year-on-year increase in contracts signed, worth EUR142 million compared to EUR121 million a year earlier.

Enertronica Santerno - with price firm at EUR0.83 - on Tuesday evening informed that the Court of Bologna authorized the company to contract with illimity Bank Spa "predeductible finance" for the total amount of EUR10.0 million compared to just under EUR10.8 million initially requested.

CrowdFundMe -- in the red by 2.4 percent -- and subsidiary Trusters, which was acquired for 51 percent on Nov. 10, 2022, and for an additional 7.3 percent on Nov. 25, 2022, announced their main integrated results for 2022 on Wednesday.

Overall, the group raised more than EUR39 million in 2022. A result that brought total investments made on the CrowdFundMe and Trusters platforms-operating as a real estate investment platform-to over EUR129 million.

In New York on European night, the Dow closed in the green by 0.8 percent, the S&P 500 rose 1.3 percent, and the Nasdaq gained 1.8 percent.

Among Asians, the Hang Seng is giving up 0.8 percent, the Shanghai Composite picked up 0.1 percent, while the Nikkei closed just above par.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0760 versus USD1.0751 at Wednesday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2140 from USD1.2129 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD81.82 a barrel from USD79.94 a barrel last night. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,872.15 an ounce from USD1,880.30 an ounce last night.

On Thursday's economic calendar, in Italy, at 1110 CET, there will be auctions of BTPs with three- and seven-year maturities.

At 13300 CET, comes the German non-seasonally adjusted current account.

Overseas, at 1430 CET, it is the turn of the U.S. Continuing Unemployment Claims, Consumer Price Index, Initial Jobless Claims and Average Unemployment Claims.

Among the companies listed in Piazza Affari, the results of Unieuro are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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