(Alliance News) - European stock markets opened higher Friday as investors await new inflation data from the United States, with the latest report on the U.S. PCE price index, which is the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation indicator.

Meanwhile, opinion polls indicate that the right-wing French party led by Le Pen, looks set to win a majority in the parliamentary elections starting this weekend.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is advancing 0.2 percent to 33,252.33.

Among the smaller listings, the MidCap is advancing 0.3 percent to 47,066.76, the SmallCap, is advancing 0.1 percent to 28,838.63, and Italy Growth is advancing 0.1 percent to EUR8,129.75.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is advancing 0.3 percent, Frankfurt's DAX 40 is advancing 0.2 percent, while Paris' CAC 40 is giving up 0.5 percent.

On the Mib, good start for Banca Monte dei Paschi, which opened up 1.0% at EUR4.39 per share, rearing its head after three bearish sessions.

Tenaris is advancing 1.4% to EUR14.21 per share, after three sessions among the bearish.

Terna, on the other hand, opened in the red by 1.4 percent, bringing the price to EUR7.24 per share after a 0.9 percent green light on the eve of the session. Of note, Goldman Sachs lowered its target price to EUR7.60 from EUR7.95 per share.

ERG is giving up 0.7 percent to EUR23.60. On the stock it is mentioned that Citadel Advisors cut its short on ERG to 0.48% from 0.53%.

On the MidCap, Brembo is advancing 2.0% to EUR. Deutsche Bank initiated coverage on the stock with target price at EUR13.00 and 'buy' recommendation.

On the Mid-Cap, Brembo advances 1.7% to EUR10.43, rearing its head after three bearish sessions.

Barclays cut its target price for Salvatore Ferragamo -- which gives up 0.2% to EUR7.96 -- to EUR8.00 from EUR9.00 per share.

Anima Holding opened in the green 1.0% to EUR4.70 per share after two bearish sessions.

On a negative note, Philogen is giving up 1.7 percent to EUR19.95 per share, after 1.5 percent green on the eve.

On the SmallCap, Aedes is advancing 2.9% to EUR0.2140, rearing its head after six bearish sessions.

Unidata is advancing 2.7 percent, on the heels of eve's 1.4 percent green after eve's 2.8 percent green.

Digital Bros, on the other hand, advances 2.3% to EUR9.24 per share, following eve's 0.1% red.

Pininfarina, on the other hand, gives up 3.4 percent to EUR0.7420, with the stock slightly up 2.4 percent on a weekly basis.

Among PMIs, in a still uneventful list, Impianti is advancing 2.7 percent, after contracting 4.5 percent this morning.

Aton Greeen Storage, on the other hand, is advancing 2.6 percent, after a 4.5 percent green in the previous session.

At the tail end, Arterra is giving up 4.6 percent, subject to profit taking after four sessions among the bullish.

In New York, the Dow rallied 0.1 percent, the Nasdaq rallied 0.3 percent, and the S&P took home 0.1 percent.

Among Asian exchanges, the Nikkei picked up 0.7 percent, the Shanghai Composite picked up 0.8 percent, and the Hang Seng picked up 0.3 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0692 from USD1.0707 on Thursday in closing European equities while the pound was worth USD1.2634 from USD1.2647 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is trading at USD85.67 per barrel from USD85.64 per barrel at Thursday's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD2,326.09 an ounce from USD2,314.73 on Wednesday evening.

On Friday's macroeconomic calendar, in Germany, the unemployment rate is expected at 0955 CEST while at 1000 CEST Italian industrial sales will come out and at 1100, also from Itala, the consumer price index.

At 1200 CEST the Italian non-EU trade balance is expected.

In the afternoon, at 1430 CEST the US PCE price index will come out.

In Piazza Affari, the results of I Grandi Viaggi are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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