(Alliance News) - Piazza Affari is moving up around the 27,600 mark in mid-session Wednesday, with trading floors tiptoeing ahead of the U.S. inflation figure and the latest FOMC minutes, which could offer clues about the Fed's stance on future interest rates.

Indeed, it is likely that the minutes of the March meeting will shed light on the motivation of members when they provided a quarter-point rate hike in the midst of the banking crisis.

Among domestic data, if reports that in February, loans to the Italian private sector grew 1.1 percent over the 12 months from the previous month's 1.6 percent increase, the Bank of Italy reported Wednesday.

Loans to households increased by 2.5 percent over the 12 months from the previous month's 3.0 percent increase while loans to non-financial corporations decreased by 0.5 percent while, in the previous month, the 12-month rate of change was zero. Private sector deposits decreased 2.4 percent from January's 1.8 percent decline; bond deposits increased 3.9 percent from January's 0.7 percent increase.

Thus, the FTSE Mib advanced 0.5 percent to 27,666.94.

Among the smaller listings, the Mid-Cap is up 0.1% to 43,814.98, the Small-Cap is in the green 0.1% to 29,869.17 while Italy Growth is in fractional green at 9,458.37.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 rises 0.6 percent, Paris' CAC 40 advances 0.4 percent, and Frankfurt's DAX 40 scores plus 0.2 percent.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, BPER Banca sprints well, advancing 2.2% after contracting with 0.2% on the eve of trading.

Iveco stock also trades well, which is in the high quarters with a green of 2.3% at EUR8.13 per share.

Good purchases also on Enel, bringing the stock ahead 1.9% with price at EUR6.01. On the stock it is reported that JP Morgan raised the target price to EUR7.80 from the previous EUR7.60.

On a negative note STMicroelectronics retreats 1.3% to EUR45.85 per share after two straight sessions closed among the bullish.

DiaSorin, on the other hand, gives up 1.1 percent, bringing its price to EUR98.48.

On the cadet segment, Ascopiave is picking up 2.4 percent after a 0.7 percent loss in the previous session. However, the stock was coming off a bullish three-way rally.

Doing even better are Mfe's class B shares, which mark a plus 3.5 percent at EUR0.7330.

illimity advances instead by 1.9 percent, bringing the price to EUR6.45 per share positioning the snout toward the third session to end on the bullish side.

Saras gives up 1.4 percent to EUR1.3190. The Moratti company - which has not paid a dividend since 2019 - on a year-to-date basis has appreciated by about 60 percent.

Doing worse, however, is Tod's, which retreats 1.6 percent to EUR38.20 after a 0.9 percent gain in the previous session.

On the SmallCap, Caleffi contracts 2.3%. The company-which has been missing the ex-dividend since 2017-follows up on the green in the eve closed with a plus 0.5%.

Triboo, on the other hand, gives up 3.0 percent to EUR0.9640, veering to the negative after two bullish sessions.

Among the bullish performers, Aeffe advances with 3.1% after a 0.8% loss on eve. For the company--which has been missing the ex-dividend since 2009--the weekly equally marks a profit with 3.5 percent.

Conafi, on the other hand, grows 2.1%, bringing the price to EUR0.3850.

Among the SMEs, Frendy Energy advances with 7.6 percent, after a 3.6 percent decline in the eve.

International Care Company, on the other hand, rises 4.2%, taking the lead on the list. There is high trading volume on the stock, with about 10,500 changed hands compared to a three-month daily average of about 2,600.

On a negative note, among the many, Go Internet marks a minus 2.6 percent brings the loss since the beginning of the year over 50 percent.

On the European night--in Wall Street--the Dow Jones closed up 0.3 percent, the S&P 500 flat and the Nasdaq Composite down 0.4 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0922 versus USD1.0909 at Tuesday's close. By contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2413 from USD1.2419 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD86.07 per barrel versus USD85.33 per barrel Tuesday evening. Gold, meanwhile, trades at USD2,011.17 an ounce from USD2,019.65 an ounce at yesterday's close.

On Wednesday's overseas economic calendar, at 1300 CEST it is the turn of the US 30-year mortgage rate.

At 1430 CEST comes inflation data from the United States.

At 1600 CEST it is the turn of the Bank of Canada's monetary policy report, and half an hour later, again from the United States, data on crude oil stocks are expected.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2023 Alliance News IS Italian Service Ltd. All rights reserved.