Piazza Affari accelerates towards the end and closes up by 0,31%. The Btp-bund spread drops to 177 basis points. After yesterday's placement of 2,5 billion Ctz at the new low and today's full auction of the 7,5 billion euro six-month BOT with rising yields, the wait is now for tomorrow's auctions of BTp and CcT for 10 billion euro. Contrast them European stock exchanges weighed down by a day marked by tensions between the US and the Russians over the Ukraine affair while President Obama is visiting Rome. Paris -0,14%, Frankfurt -0,03%, Madrid +0,61%, London -0,26%.
Wall Street was also negative with the Dow Jones traveling just below parity and the Nasdaq losing 0,58%. Citigroup collapses -5% after the rejection by the Fed of the plan to distribute capital to shareholders. They retrace internet headlines. Stocks did not benefit from data on weekly jobless claims, which fell by surprise: they fell by 10.000 units to 311.000, the lowest level since the end of November.
The data is better than the expectations of analysts, who bet on 323.000 units. Existing home purchase compromises in the United States fell 0,8% in February from the previous month and 10,2% from February 2013. The decline has lasted for eight consecutive months. The euro traded at 1,3734 euros, Wti oil advanced by 1,15% to 101,41 dollars a barrel.
Mediolanum runs in Piazza Affari +3,25% in the wake of the financial results which recorded a profit, without considering non-recurring charges, up by 9% to the record share of over 544 million euros. Ubi Banca +1,96%, Azimut +1,4% and Mediobanca +1,15% also performed well. Banco Popolare +0,48%. Today the bank announced that it has received Consob approval for the prospectus for the capital increase which will start on March 31st and end on April 17th.
In detail, the option rights to subscribe to Banco Popolare's capital increase of 1,5 billion euro must be exercised from 31 March to 17 April and will be negotiable until 10 April. The unexercised rights will then be offered by the company on the stock exchange within the following month. The shares of Banco Popolare's 1,5 billion capital increase will be offered for subscription at the price of 9 euro, with a 30,7% discount on the terp (theoretical price after the detachment of the option right). Shareholders will have the right to subscribe for 17 new shares for every 18 shares held.
Mediaset on the rise (+1,14%) thanks to the accounts. Luxury down: Yoox -2,82%, Tod's -1,84% and Moncler -1,34%. A2A yields 1,64%. The increase in the loss to 50,7 million does not help Buzzi Unicem which loses 1,34%.
