The European Stock Exchanges accelerate in the final and close fractionally higher, with the exception of London (-0,01%). Piazza Affari, +0,46%, 22.673 points, stops behind Madrid +0,91%, Frankfurt +0,83% and Paris +0,64%. The session is fluctuating and interlocutory, devoid of great ideas, with Germany's Zew Investor Confidence Index falling sharply in Februarybut less than expected.
No clearing for the markets comes in the afternoon with the opening of Wall Street, after the holiday. The American stock market is currently mixed, the Dow 30 is negative (weighted by Walmart), while the Nasdaq is moving in positive territory. The rise in yields on 10-year Treasury bonds, back in the 2,9% area, weighs on equities.
The dollar appreciates and pays 1,234 for one euro. Oil is down slightly, Brent -0,23%; $65,52 a barrel. Gold is weak, against a recovering dollar, in the area of 1332 dollars an ounce. Session off for the Italian secondary: The yield of the 10-year BTP is 2,07%, the spread with the Bund rises to 133.30 basis points, +1,68%.
In Milan, the best blue chip is Buzzi, +3,66%, driven by its German rival HeidelbergCement, which recorded an increase in turnover and sales in the fourth quarter. Heidelberg in 2017 took over the Italian assets of Cementir, today up 1,46% on the Ftse All Share. Good for Telecom +3,01%, in view of the business plan; Stm +2,64%; Cnh +2,59%, rebounds after yesterday's sales.
Without direction the financial stocks. Banca Generali gains 1,78%, but Ubi loses 0,7%. Creval floats outside the main basket (-0,19%), while Banca Carige remains flat, after the boom on the eve. On the banking front, minister Pier Carlo Padoan warned from Brussels, according to which the European finance ministers are still very divided on the completion of the banking union and this effectively paralyzes Ecofin. "Unfortunately - he says - there is a stalemate which sees on one side countries, such as Italy, which deem it necessary to introduce risk sharing mechanisms as soon as possible, and countries which believe it is necessary to continue to reduce risks".
On the Ftse Mib, the stocks with the greatest declines are Recordati -2,15%; Pirelli -1,41%; Italgas -1,09%; Ferragamo -0,89%. Poste Italiane is appreciated, +1,71%, which yesterday presented the numbers of the fourth quarter 2017, revealing an increase in profit and turnover and an increase in the dividend. Timid gains for Terna, +0,13%, after the positive accounts.
