Piazza Affari is proceeding slightly down, in line with the other stock exchanges of the Old Continent, which are in any case cold in the face of the signals from the ECB Bulletin which show that the euro area is strengthening more than expected with upward estimates for GDP and inflation. The weakness of the dollar contributes to curbing quotations: the euro trades at 1,1933, after having reached its highest level since September. The Ftse Mib index dropped 13% at 0,2 pm, just under 22.200 points. Paris scores -0,01%, Frankfurt -0,11%. The worst place is Madrid, down by almost half a percentage point. In positive territory Zurich and London, outside the eurozone.
New crash for Bitcoin which lost 15% falling below 14 thousand dollars. South Korea, one of the countries where electronic money is more widespread, has decided to severely clamp down on market exchanges. Among the new rules issued, the authorities will be able to prohibit the opening of anonymous accounts based on cryptocurrencies, as well as taking the necessary legal steps to shut down bitcoin and other cryptocurrency exchanges themselves, if deemed necessary. In addition, the government will impose a ban on banks from offering virtual accounts to platforms where Bitcoins are exchanged. Seoul has also said it is ready to tax the capital gains currencies related to bitcoin trading.
Closing in style for the 2017 debt auctions. The Treasury placed a total of 6,914 billion euros on four bonds this morning: 5-year and 10-year BTPs and the new CCTEU April 2025 (2 billion), yielding 0,48%. The amount is close to the maximum of the range proposed, between 5 and 7 billion. The 5-year BTPs (maturity August 2022) were assigned at a yield of 0,60%, up by 1 basis point compared to the previous auction. Ten-year bonds maturing in June 2027 (1 billion with a yield of 1,83%) and August 2027 (1,5 billion with a yield of 1,86%) were also placed.
The spread narrowed from 153 basis points at the start to 149. Purchases on crude oil with WTI gaining 0,3% to 59,80 dollars a barrel, the same increase for Brent traded at 66,64 dollars. Back off Eni -0,5% that in a few days will start drilling a new off-shore well north of Alaska. It would be the first company to build new offshore drilling in the US state since 2015. Saipem falls by 0,8%, after the rise on the previous day, while Tenaris loses 0,3%.
The star of the shines on the stock list Banco bpm +3,68%. Supporting the purchases is the news that the bank has brilliantly exceeded the capital requirements set by the ECB. So much so that Equita Sim, following the outcome of the SREP (Supervisory review and evaluation process), has improved its judgment on the share from hold to buy. The bank also communicated the closing of the sale of Banca Aletti ad Holding soul 2,4%. Always well collected Banking Iphis up 3,4% after the recent promotion by Banca Akros. Reverse course Banca Carige gaining 1,22% after plunging more than 6% yesterday following the closing of a capital raise in a market which remains uncertain about the institution's income prospects.
Also decidedly up Unicredit +1,2% and Bper Banca +2,2%, while it falls by 0,4% Understanding. Good insurance: Generali earn 0,5%.
In the rest of the list:
- The AW109 Trekker helicopter from Leonardo +0,1% has obtained EASA certification and deliveries will start in the first half of 2018.
- D'Amico International +0,6% reached the agreement for the sale of the vessel MT High Freedom. The deal is worth $28 million and the vessel will be subject to a lease back from D'Amico.
- Ansaldo sts +0,7%, within the framework of the Verona-Padua high-speed railway project, it will carry out works for around 336 million euros.
