(Alliance News) - On Wednesday, major European stock markets confirm forecasts and open in positive territory, ahead of the publication of important macroeconomic data in the Old Continent.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is in the green by 0.7 percent to 26,780.17, the Mid-Cap is up 1.5 percent to 43,899.95, the Small-Cap is in the green by 0.4 percent to 29,687.54, while Italy Growth rises 0.3 percent to 9,540.27.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 rises 0.2 percent, London's FTSE 100 gains 0.3 percent while Frankfurt's DAX 40 is in the green by 0.1 percent.

In macroeconomic news, the Caixin PMI index for China's manufacturing sector rose to 49.2 in January 2023 from December's three-month low of 49.0, but less than the market consensus that wanted it at 49.5.

This is the sixth consecutive month of decline in factory activity due to sluggish operations after the abrupt change in Covid policy.

In Japan, Au Jibun Bank's manufacturing PMI stood at 48.9 in January, hitting a 26-month low for the second consecutive month and confirming the flash figure.

This was also the third consecutive month of declining factory activity, with production and export orders falling the least in three months, while new orders fell slightly from December.

In Milan, on the main list in Piazza Affari, a few stocks were among the bearish performers: down 0.2 percent went Eni, along with Iveco Group and Leonardo, which gave up 0.1 percent, and Tenaris, which gave up 0.2 percent.

UniCredit after rising 12% at close Tuesday, gives up 0.7% at open. The company yesterday announced a profit for the year 2022 excluding Russia at EUR5.4 billion from EUR3.3 billion in the previous year, "the best result in more than a decade," as pointed out by CEO Andrea Orcel.

Doing well, however, is Italgas, which takes the top spot on the list up 1.3 percent.

Also up is Terna - up 1.1 percent - which announced Tuesday that the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security has started the authorization process for the project to rationalize the high-voltage power grid in the West Brianza area, for which the company will invest a total of more than EUR100 million.

On the Mid-Cap, doValue gains 1.2 percent after announcing Wednesday that the senior Class A securities of the securitization realized through the special purpose vehicle Fino 1 Securitization Srl have been repaid.

This was possible "due to the excellent recovery performance of the loans underlying the securitization realized through Fino 1 Securitization, under which the GACS guarantee was granted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance," the company explained.

Webuild rises 1.4 percent. The company announced Monday that it has been awarded the execution of works for the doubling and modernization of Lot 1 of the Ragusa-Catania highway, worth EUR208 million.

Juventus Football Club - up 1.0 percent - announced Monday that it had reached an agreement with Leeds United Football Club for the sale, on a temporary basis until June 30, 2023, of the rights to the sports performance of footballer Weston McKennie for a consideration of EUR1.25 million, plus bonuses of up to EUR250,000 upon the occurrence of certain sporting goals.

On the Small-Cap, Seri Industrial is up 1.2 percent after announcing Tuesday that the board of directors authorized the signing of new leases with related party Pmimmobiliare by subsidiaries FIB and Seri Plast and with Azienda Agricola Quercete by the company.

Somec Spa gains 3.5 percent after announcing on Wednesday that it has been awarded ramite its U.S. subsidiary Fabbrica a new contract for the construction of a commercial building in Boston, Massachusetts.

Fabbrica will oversee the design and engineering of more than 22,000 square meters of curtain walls with a total value of about USD32 million.

Among SMEs, ReeVo -- up 3.7 percent -- announced Wednesday that with the Temporary Grouping of Companies in which it participates together with IBM Italy, through the ITALIT business network, it has signed the framework contract for the provision of cloud application services and demand and PMO services, for central public administrations.

The agreement has a total value for the RTI of EUR600 million and a duration of 24 months, Of this amount a minimum of about EUR20 million is directly referable to ReeVo.

Esautomotion gives up 3.8 percent after announcing Tuesday that group revenues as of December 31, 2022 were EUR34.0 million, up 19 percent from 2021 when they were EUR28.6 million.

Digital Value gains 1.4 percent after reporting Tuesday that it ended 2022 with revenues of EUR706.9 million, up 18 percent or EUR109.4 million from the previous year.

The figure is 1.4 percent above the market consensus of EUR697.2 million "and confirms the country's strong focus on investments in digitization and ICT infrastructure efficiency," as the company explains.

Innovatec rises 0.8 percent after announcing Tuesday that it has received authorization from the Province of Monza Brianza to build a plant for waste treatment and recovery activities in Lazzate.

The authorized plant is immediately buildable, will cover an area of about 13,000 square meters, 3,000 of which will be covered, and will be built in the next 12 months with a planned investment of about EUR3.5 million.

NVP--up 0.8 percent--reported Wednesday that it had seen preliminary figures for 2022 and reported consolidated revenues for the period of EUR17.4 million, up 30 percent from 2021 when they amounted to EUR13.4 million.

Consolidated revenues for Italy were about EUR16.2 million, up 46 percent from EUR11.1 million in 2021; overseas revenues were worth EUR1.2 million, down from 2021 when they were EUR2.3 million.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed Wednesday up 0.1 percent to 27,346.88, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.9 percent to 3,284.92 and the Hang Seng gained 1.1 percent to 22,072.18.

In New York, the Dow closed last night up 1.1 percent to 34,086.04, the Nasdaq took home a 1.7 percent gain to 11,584.55 while the S&P 500 gained 1.5 percent to 4,076.60.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0880 versus USD1.0861 at Tuesday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2311 from USD1.2318 on Tuesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD85.95 per barrel versus USD85.31 per barrel Tuesday evening. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,940.55 an ounce from USD1,904.40 an ounce last session.

Wednesday's macroeconomic calendar includes the release of Italy's purchasing managers' index at 0945 CET; at 0950 it is the turn of France's PMI index, and five minutes later comes Germany's manufacturing purchasing managers' index.

At 1000 CET, the Eurozone manufacturing PMI is released and half an hour later the UK PMI is released.

At 1100 CET, the OPEC summit is held while January inflation is published in Italy, as well as in the Eurozone, along with the unemployment figure.

At 1300 CET, the weekly US mortgage data release is expected.

Also overseas, at 1545 CET, the U.S. manufacturing purchasing managers' index is expected, and 15 minutes later it is the turn of the ISM manufacturing employment index, data on construction spending and new jobs JOLTs.

At 1630 CET it is the turn of crude oil stocks.

Among the companies listed on the Stock Exchange, no particular announcements are expected.

By Claudia Cavaliere, Alliance News reporter

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