(Alliance News) - European stock markets tread a bearish path Friday as investors assess a range of economic and corporate data, evaluating their potential impact on the outlook for monetary policy.

The latest GDP data showed the Eurozone economy grew by a meager 0.1 percent in the first quarter, with German GDP unexpectedly flat as rising inflation and borrowing costs hit demand. At the same time, inflation rates in both France and Spain rose in April, increasing fears for the entire European region.

Thus, the FTSE Mib is in the red by 1.2 percent to 26,839.86, the Mid-Cap is in the red by 0.1 percent to 43,336.94, the Small-Cap gives up 0.4 percent to 28,965.00, and Italy Growth is in the green by 0.1 percent to 9,250.71.

In Europe, Paris' CAC 40 is on the parity threshold, London's FTSE 100 is in the red by 0.2 percent, Frankfurt's DAX 40 is giving up 0.2 percent, and the CAC is leaving 0.6 percent on the parterre.

On the main list in Piazza Affari, Banco BPM is giving up 4.3 percent to EUR3.67 per share after last night's gain of 2.6 percent, while FinecoBank is marking minus 3.8 percent.

Banca Monte dei Paschi is also losing ground, marking minus 3.9 percent after being the best performer in the previous session by rising 4.4 percent.

The board of Eni -- in the red by 1.4 percent -- announced Friday that it had approved consolidated results for the first quarter, having reported adjusted pre-tax profit of EUR4.98 billion, down 5.0 percent from the same period last year when it was EUR5.23 billion.

STMicroelectronics is in the red by 0.6 percent, after reporting Thursday that it posted sharp year-over-year increases in earnings and revenues in the first quarter, with net income improving 40 percent to USD1.04 billion from USD747 million in the same period last year.

On a quarterly basis, however, net income marks a 16 percent decline from USD1.25 billion in the last three months of 2022. Earnings per share rises 39 percent year-over-year to USD1.10 from USD0.79, but falls 17 percent quarter-over-quarter from USD1.32.

On the Mid-Cap, positive notes include Antares Vision, which marks a plus 3.5 percent. The company announced Wednesday that it has acquired, through its subsidiary rfxcel, 100 percent of Smart Point Technologies Ltd, an Indian software development company that creates complex and innovative solutions. The total outlay for Smart Point is EUR7.8 million.

Salvatore Ferragamo also advances well, rising 2.6 percent to EUR16.10.

Tamburi Investment Partners - in the green by 0.2 percent - announced Friday that it plans to execute a share buyback program for up to an additional 5 million shares to be made by October 27, 2024.

At the back of the pack is LU-VE, which trades minus 4.5 percent after the previous two sessions closed in the green.

Webuild's board of directors-which gives up 0.4 percent-on Thursday announced that it had approved additional information regarding performance in the first three months of the year. The company reported that since the beginning of the year the group has acquired EUR11.4 billion of new orders, including EUR6.3 billion of projects for which it is a best bidder, exceeding guidance of EUR10-10.5 billion for the full year 2023.

On the Small-Cap, good buying on Eukedos, with the stock ahead 4.8 percent with price at EUR1.20, after eve's 0.4 percent loss.

Seri Industrial gives up 2.4 percent, after announcing that in the first three months of the year it reported revenues of EUR45.0 million from EUR44.0 million in the same period a year earlier.

In contrast, Conafi advances 2.8 percent to EUR0.4090, on the heels of a 1.5 percent decline.

Elica's board of directors -- down 0.4 percent -- approved results for the first quarter of 2023, which closed with a net income of EUR3.4 million compared to EUR4.7 million in the first quarter of 2022. The normalized result was EUR3.9 million. In Q1 2023, Elica posted revenues of EUR129.0 million, "in a market characterized by shrinking demand and impacted by destocking measures implemented by OEM customers," the company note said. Last year in the first quarter it was EUR144 million.

At the back of the pack, Seri Industrial gives up 5.3 percent-after a 0.7 percent loss on the eve of the meeting-bringing its weekly weekly loss over 12 percent.

Finally, among SMEs, Franchi Umberto Marmi gives up 2.0%, after announcing Thursday that total revenues as of March 31 amounted to EUR22.7 million, up 7%, compared to EUR21.1 million recorded in the same period last year, with a significant contribution from sales in Turkey, South Korea and India. Sales on the Italian market, as of March 31, 2023, increased by 4%, compared to the first three months of 2022, reaching EUR12.3 million or 54% of total revenues, confirming the good health of the domestic market.

MeglioQuesto - up 4.3 percent - reported that the board resolved to initiate a EUR7.0 million capital increase reserved for Pierluigi Ghiani and Francesco Simula. The transaction will be developed through the issuance of 4.0 million ordinary shares at a subscription price of EUR1.75 each. Of the amount of the capital increase, EUR400,000 will go to increase the company's share capital while EUR6.6 million will be allocated to share premium reserve.

TraWell Co - flat at EUR7.00 - announced Friday that in the year ended Dec. 31, 2022, it reported revenues of EUR26.3 million from EUR20.0 million in the same period last year and up 31 percent. Profit stood at EUR2.1 million, a 197 percent improvement from EUR700,000 as of Dec. 31, 2021.

In New York at Thursday's close, the Dow Jones rose 1.6 percent, the Nasdaq rallied 2.4 percent, and the S&P 500 put up 2.0 percent.

Among currencies, the euro changed hands at USD1.0990 versus USD1.1025 at Thursday's close. In contrast, the pound is worth USD1.2468 from USD1.2493 last night.

Among commodities, Brent crude is worth USD78.44 per barrel versus USD77.98 per barrel Thursday night. Gold, on the other hand, trades at USD1,92.15 an ounce from USD1,984.03 an ounce at Thursday's close.

On Friday's macroeconomic calendar, in the US, at 1900 CEST, it is time for data from Baker Hughes and at 2230 CEST, as usual on Fridays, the COT Report.

By Maurizio Carta, Alliance News reporter

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