(Alliance News) - On Friday, the main European stock markets opened in negative territory, in line with futures indications, in a session with few macroeconomic highlights but characterized by investors' focus on trade tensions between the US and China and rising commodity prices.
Gold hit a new record high of USD 4,360 per ounce, buoyed by growing demand for safe-haven assets amid strong uncertainty on international markets.
Thus, the FTSE Mib is down 2.0% to 41,538.14, the Mid-Cap is down 1.4% to 55,954.78, the Small-Cap is down 1.1% to 36,416.95, while Italy Growth is down 0.3% to 8,585.88.
The FTSE 100 in London is down 1.5% to 9,291.55, the CAC 40 in Paris is down 1.2% to 8,091.83, and the DAX 40 in Frankfurt is down 2.1% to 23,768.64.
On the main index of the Italian Stock Exchange, no stocks are up at the start of trading. Leonardo is at the bottom, down 4.0%. Prysmian is also down, losing 3.1%, while banks are also suffering, with Banca Mediolanum and UniCredit down 3.0% and 2.9% respectively.
Banco BPM, down 2.7%, announced a cash buyback offer for all of its 2026 bonds issued under the issuer's EUR 25 billion Euro Medium Term Note Program, with a total outstanding nominal amount of EUR 500 million.
Telecom Italia fell 1.3%. Deutsche Bank raised its target price with a 'buy' rating.
Brunello Cucinelli - down 0.5% - announced on Thursday that it closed the first nine months of 2025 with revenues of EUR 1.02 billion, up 10.8% at current exchange rates and 11.3% at constant exchange rates compared to the same period in 2024.
In the third quarter alone, turnover rose to EUR 335 million, an increase of almost 12%.
Generali, down 2.4%, participates in the Infrastructure Resilience Development Fund, a fund dedicated to infrastructure in emerging countries, with initial fundraising of USD 340 million set to grow by 2026.
Among oil companies, Saipem announced the award of three new offshore contracts, worth a total of approximately USD 700 million, as part of the Shah Deniz Compression project operated by bp in Azerbaijan. The Italian company's share amounts to approximately USD 600 million. The stock is down 1.6%.
Eni fell 1.2%, while Tenaris lost 1.8%.
In the mid-cap sector, the only stocks in the green are Pirelli and Safilo Group, up 0.9% and 0.7% respectively.
Danieli & C, after anticipating its annual figures as of June 30 on September 26, presented its forecasts for the 2025-2026 financial year on Thursday.
The company expects consolidated revenues of between EUR 4.20 and EUR 4.30 billion, EBITDA in the range of EUR 430-450 million, and an order book of between EUR 6.00 and EUR 6.20 billion. The stock fell 1.4%.
Piaggio, down 0.1%, announced on Wednesday its intention to strengthen its internationalization strategy by focusing on a direct presence in the Philippines, one of the most dynamic emerging markets in Southeast Asia.
In a still complex global context, the company led by Michele Colaninno confirms its commitment to foreign expansion, choosing a country considered strategic both in terms of volume and growth potential in the premium segment.
In the Small-Cap segment, EPH has accepted the binding offer submitted by RONA Limited Company. The company explained in a statement that the transaction involves a total investment of EUR 10 million in EPH's share capital, divided into a EUR 9.5 million aucap and EUR 500,000 in cash. The stock is responding positively with a theoretical increase of 50%, but at the moment without a reference price.
Gabetti Property Solutions announced that in the first nine months of the year, it recorded over EUR 7.7 billion in corporate investments in Italy, up approximately 17% compared to September 30, 2024. The company, which is selling 1.1%, explained in a statement that the retail sector (29%) and hospitality (21%) are the driving forces behind this growth.
Among SMEs, Lindbergh, which is not yet traded, completed the acquisition of Salvucci Maurizio e C. for EUR105,000.
Impianti, which is not yet trading, reported third-quarter revenues of EUR 4.6 million, down 18% from EUR 6.2 million in the same period last year.
Xenia Hotellerie Solution rose 1.3%. The company announced that the closing of the acquisition of the Italica Turismo group had been completed, effective October 17.
The total acquisition price is EUR 6.5 million, with a corresponding impact on the Xenia group's net financial position.
Saccheria F.lli Franceschetti announced its results for the first nine months, closing with revenues of EUR 14.4 million, up 8.5% compared to EUR 13.3 million in the same period of 2024. The stock opened up 1.8%.
In detail, turnover for the main product categories was EUR 10.7 million for "big bags," up from EUR 10.0 million as of September 30, 2024, EUR 500,000 for "fertilizer bags," down from EUR 900,000 last year, and EUR 2.1 million for "small bags," up from EUR 1.3 million in 2024.
In New York, during the European night, the Dow closed down 0.7% at 45,952.24, while the Nasdaq closed down 0.5% at 22,562.54 and the S&P 500 closed down 0.6% at 6,629.07.
Among Asian markets, the Hang Seng is down 2.7%, the Shanghai Composite has lost 2.0%, while the Nikkei has fallen 1.4%.
On the currency front, the euro is trading at USD 1.1702 from USD 1.1676 at Thursday's stock market close, while the pound is trading at USD 1.3432 from USD 1.3430 at the last European close.
Among commodities, Brent crude is trading at USD 60.50 per barrel, down from USD 62.19 per barrel at Thursday's close, while gold is trading at USD 4,345.51 per ounce, up from USD 4,272.32 per ounce last night.
On Friday's economic calendar, at 1100 CEST, Eurozone consumer price index data will be released, while at 1135 CEST in the UK, a speech by Pill, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, is scheduled.
At 1515 CEST, US industrial and manufacturing production data are expected.
On the Italian stock market, Vimi Fasteners' nine-month results are expected.
By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter
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