Piazza Affari consolidates and improves the progress made yesterday, closing the session up 0,55%, at 21.435 points. Among the blue chips, Unipol shines (+4,14%) and the banks stand out, while Avio (-16,6)% falls outside the main basket, after the "premature conclusion" of the Vega VV 17 mission. The bond is solid: the spread between Italian and German ten-year bonds rises slightly to 116 basis points (+0,72%), but the BTP rate remains in the low zone at +0,6%.
The other continental markets are mixed, after the gains on the eve of the announcement that Moderna's anti-Covid vaccine is effective in 94,5% of cases. Frankfurt is flat, -0,07%; a slight increase in Paris +0,21%. Madrid falls, -0,67%. BBVA lost 5% after yesterday's rally following the news of the sale of its American assets to Pnc Financial Services for about 10 billion euros, an operation that will allow it to improve its CET 1 by 300 basis points. The bank of Bilbao has remained in the spotlight even today because it announced that it has ongoing negotiations with Banco Sabadell, +6,7% (fifth Iberian institution) for a possible merger.
Down London -0,94%, where Easy Jet shed 1,93%, after recording an annual loss of 1,27 billion pounds (1,68 billion dollars), the first in its history, a meltdown that highlights the extent of the pandemic's impact on air travel.
On the other side of the Atlantic, in the American morning, Wall Street moved down after yesterday's highs. Among the securities, Tesla gains almost 9% and thus celebrates its admission to the S&P 500 from next December 21st; Amazon climbs 1% after announcing that, in the US, will enter the drug sales market prescription-only with the Amazon Pharmacy service; however, this news puts pressure on the stocks of traditional pharmacy chains.
On the foreign exchange market, the euro is up slightly against the dollar to 1,186, while it is down against the pound (0,8955). British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told key ministers that reaching a trade deal with the European Union is all but certain and that time is running out very soon. Among the raw materials, oil is declining, Brent loses 0,9% and moves to 43,43 dollars a barrel.
The data restore a picture of uncertainty after the euphoria that began last Monday with the announcement of an effective vaccine by Pfizer and Biontech and continued yesterday with the news that Moderna's vaccine, after phase 3 testing, would even more effective and easier to store. Two pieces of news that have left glimpse the awaited light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic, although the infections say that, for now, despite some positive signs here and there, in the USA and in Europe, the darkness is still thick.
In this context, Piazza Affari strengthens its earnings. Leading the dance is Unipol, still in the wake of the data for the first 9 months released on Friday and the reassurances on the payment of the 2019 dividend and on compliance with the 2021 targets, by CEO Carlo Cimbri.
In the end, the banks also changed pace and moved into the top rankings with Mediobanca +3,19%, Banco Bpm +2,58% and Unicredit +1,63%. Atlantia confirms the good intonation, +1,934%, with the Stock Exchange that focuses on the happy ending in history with CDP for the sale of Aspi.
The decline in crude oil does not affect the bullish phase of an oil service like Tenaris +1,91%. Eni also did well, +1,48%. In progress Poste, +1,69%, after the announcement yesterday of the purchase of the rival Nexive. Amplifon down -1,83%; realized on Hera -2,05%; Inwit -1,47%; Prismian -1,36%.
Weak Nexi, -0,41%, which according to press sources would be very close to acquiring the merchant acquiring business of Ubi Banca after the bank joined the Intesa Sanpaolo group (+0,5%).
Avio sinks out of the main basket, after the new setback that caused it stop the Vega mission of the European Space Agency (Esa) which should have placed two satellites (Seosat-Ingenio and Taranis) in orbit. In a statement, the company specified that, approximately 8 minutes after take-off, after the nominal completion of the propulsion of the first, second and third stages and the first ignition of the fourth stage engine, an anomaly occurred which caused a deviation of the trajectory of the launcher with the consequent premature termination of the mission.
The Equita Sim analysts issued a downgrade to "hold" on the stock, believing that the anomaly encountered - the second after the one in summer 2019 which carried a United Arab Emirates satellite - could have consequences on the commercial side for Avio in the phase of negotiation with customers and also possible delays on the development of Vega C if the problems that arise are not quickly identified. Even after the 2019 anomaly the stock lost about 15% on the Stock Exchange.
