(Alliance News) - On Friday, major European stock markets met forecasts and began the day down as some macroeconomic data affecting France and the UK were released.

French consumer price inflation, then, fell to an annual 4.3 percent in July from 4.5 percent in June. This was due to a decline in energy prices and a slowdown in food and manufactured goods inflation. The figure was unchanged from the preliminary estimate.

In the UK, however, industrial production rose 1.8 percent month-on-month in June, recovering from a 0.6 percent drop in the previous month and exceeding market expectations of a 0.1 percent increase, according to data released Friday by the Office for National Statistics.

It was the strongest growth in industrial activity since August 2020, thanks to a strong increase in manufacturing output -- 2.4 percent versus a 0.1 percent decline in May -- and water supply increased 2 percent versus with a 2.2 percent decline.

Thus, the FTSE Mib opens in the red 0.5% at 28,440.01, the Mid-Cap, gives up 0.2% to 42,049.10, the Small-Cap is in fractional green at 26,936.08, and Italy Growth gives up 0.1% to 8,910.93.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 is down 0.5 percent as is Paris' CAC 40 while Frankfurt's DAX 40 is in the red by 0.3 percent.

On the main index of Piazza Affari, Unipol gives up 1.1 percent after announcing Friday morning that it had approved consolidated results as of June 30 reporting a half-year closed with a consolidated profit of EUR517 million, down more than 24 percent from the consolidated net profit of EUR684 million in the corresponding period last year, which was reported under previous accounting standards and on which was reflected extraordinary items of about EUR279 million related to the pro-rata consolidation of BPER Banca's result.

The figure for the first half of 2022, the company explains, restated for comparative purposes under the new standards, is EUR433 million.

Telecom Italia opens up 2.4 percent as talks between the KKR fund and the Treasury to buy Netco intensified. As Francesco Bonazzi explains in Alliance News, "the important date in the handling of the dossier, until yesterday, was September 30, by which the KKR fund must submit its binding offer for the Telecom network. An offer ranging from EUR21 billion to EUR23 billion in value, depending on how certain assets shape up. But now all the spotlight is on the next meeting of the Council of Ministers, scheduled for August 28, when government work resumes after the summer break.

"Indiscretions not denied by the executive speak of a four-way agreement between the Ministry of Economy, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (which has 10 percent of Telecom Italia), F2i and KKR. A formal step in Palazzo Chigi is obviously needed to make the Treasury's entry into the field official. Also at the end of August, in parallel, the U.S. fund is expected to sign credit lines with a pool of 10 banks (some of which are also TIM's creditors) for about EUR10.5 billion," the Alliance News columnist points out.

Better does only Saipem, up 3.6 percent. Also doing well is Moncler, which opens in the green by 0.6 percent.

On the Mid-Cap, UnipolSai gives up 0.9 percent after reporting Friday that it closed the first half of the year with a profit up 2.0 percent to EUR431 million from EUR422 million in the same period last year.

In contrast, net income for the first half of 2022, calculated using other IFFRS 4 and IAS 39 parameters, was EUR176 million.

Saras, on the other hand, gives up 1.0 percent.

Banca Popolare di Sondrio is in the red by 0.1 percent after closing up 1.2 percent, thanks to a half-year with a record net profit of EUR207.1 million from EUR105.0 million in the same period last year. Net interest income amounted to EUR427.0 million up from EUR320.0 million in the first half of 2022.

On the Small-Cap segment, Servizi Italia rises 1.1 percent after reporting Thursday that it closed the first half of the year with revenues and profits up from the same period a year earlier.

The company's revenues increased to EUR143.8 million from EUR134.0 million in the first half of 2022. Revenues from washroom services-which in absolute terms accounted for 74.9 percent of the group's revenues-increased to EUR107.7 million from EUR101.8 million in the first six months of 2022, supported by robust growth in washroom Italy.

Greenthesis is not yet trading. The company announced through its wholly owned subsidiary under Emirates law Ambienthesis Middle East DMCC on Monday that it has been contracted to carry out characterization activities, in the amount of approximately EUR100,000, instrumental to the subsequent remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil to be carried out in the Abu Dhabi industrial area.

Among SMEs, Ecosuntek rises with 1.3 percent after reporting Wednesday evening that Eco Trade, a 63.4 percent subsidiary, signed two preliminary agreements on July 31 involving the purchase of the stakes held in + Energia Spa by Paolo Marinangeli for a 17.90 percent stake and by Soni Mar Srl for a 26.875 percent stake for a total share of about 45 percent. The purchase involves a total price of about EUR21.3 million to be paid at the closing, expected by the end of October 2023. A sum of just under EUR1.3 million was paid as a down payment on Wednesday.

In New York, the Dow closed in the green 0.2 percent to 35,176.15, the Nasdaq up 0.2 percent to 13,737.99, and the S&P 500 finished just above par at 4,468.83.

In Asia, the Nikkei closed in the green by 0.8 percent at 32,473.65, the Shanghai Composite in the red by 2.0 percent 3,189.25, and the Hang Seng is giving up 0.8 percent to 19,104.56.

Among currencies, the euro changes hands at USD1.0991 against USD1.1018 on Wednesday in closing European equities while the pound is instead worth USD1.2707 from USD1.2732 on Wednesday evening.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD86.10 per barrel versus USD87.28 per barrel at last night's close. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,916.35 an ounce from USD1,918.59 an ounce Wednesday evening.

Friday's economic calendar includes, at 1000 CEST, the Italian trade balance.

From the U.S., at 1430 CEST, room for the producer price index; at 1900 CEST, Baker Hughes drilling rig data will arrive; and, as usual on Fridays, at 2230 CEST, the COT Report.

On the corporate calendar, no events are scheduled.

By Chiara Bruschi, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to redazione@alliancenews.com

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