Everyone is crazy about Bitcoin, the virtual currency that reaches a new historical record over 20 thousand dollars, on a day with a variable climate for the markets and in anticipation of the Fed's pronouncement, tonight, at the end of the two-day meeting.
European lists close mixed e Wall Street proceeds uncertainly, even if the Nasdaq reaches new highs in view of the launch of a new stimulus plan. The balance of the markets remains stalled between the optimism induced by vaccines and the measures to support the economy and the pessimism due to the evidence of the infections and the consequent lockdowns.
Frankfurt is the best, +1,53% (despite the new lockdown and the record of almost a thousand deaths from Covid in 24 hours), comforted by the trend in manufacturing, proving the ability of German industry to react even in this situation. The PMI index in December it soared to a 34-month high, at 58,6 from 57,8 in November. I'm in slight progress Paris +0,31% and London +0,9%. Lose Madrid -0,23%.
Business Square, after various ups and downs, closed well, +0,23% at 21.986, driven by nexi +2,66%, in the spotlight for the start of the state cashback campaign. They worry though the forecasts of the governor of Bank of Italy Ignazio Visco, according to which the country will have to wait until 2023 to recover GDP levels before the pandemic and it will take even longer to recover the values of 2007. The government is also preparing to enact a new decree which will probably turn the whole boot red for the Christmas period, with the aim of avoiding the explosion of infections. However, good news comes from the European front: the orientation of the Eurogroup thinks that expansionary fiscal policies must continue also in 2021.
Some realizations and sales on bank stocks weigh on the list, after the dividend ceiling set by the ECB until September 2021 due to the uncertainty generated by Covid 19. In detail, the Central Bank expects dividends and buybacks not to exceed the level lower between 15% of 2019-20 cumulated earnings and 20 basis points in terms of Cet1. The decision penalizes Understanding, -1,62% and Unicredit -1,13%. Sales are still generalized across the industry, though bpm limits losses to 0,88%, after announcing last night the divorce from Catholic in the bancassurance partnership, a move that, it is said, could ease the road to the wedding with Bper (-1,35%).
Among the industrial stocks lose Prysmian -1,91% Leonardo -2,16%.
In progress fca, +1,33%; they bounce Pirelli + 1,7% Amplifon +2,53% and Recordati +2,19%, after yesterday's losses. Brilliant Interpump + 2,3%.
The energy and utility sectors did well. Enel it gains 1,45%, driven by press rumors according to which tomorrow's board of directors could give management a mandate to start the process of selling 50% of Open Fiber to Macquarie. According to Fidentiis, the news “would be positive for Telecom Italy (+0,13%) as it could represent a first step towards the creation of the single network and could remove part of the stalemate we have witnessed in recent months".
Out of the main list Mediaset loses 0,84%. Yesterday Agcom announced the start of an investigation to evaluate the effects on media pluralism of the simultaneous presence of Vivendi both in the company controlled by Silvio Berlusconi's family and in Telecom Italia.
Still declining it spread: 107 basis points (-2,38%), with the BTP rate returning +0,50%.
On the currency market the dollar it slipped to its lowest level since 2018. The euro was trading slightly higher with the greenback compared to the previous close, at 1,218.
You take the stage today the Bitcoin, which currently trades at $20.740,7 and reaches a new all-time high. According to some observers, the cryptocurrency has assumed the role of a safe haven asset on a par with gold in recent months. Making it attractive would be its feature of a currency with limited supply, at a time when there would be an abundance of dollars and euros due to the massive stimulus packages induced by the pandemic.
Among the raw materials floats thegold, while the Petroleum traffic in slight decline. The February 2021 Brent future trades at 50,66 dollars a barrel (-0,2%).
