Consob, in the wake of what has already been ordered by Belgium and France, has decided not to renew, starting tomorrow, the ban on short selling of financial securities. An obvious decision but which coincides with a difficult day for the banking sector throughout Europe. Business Square he thus experienced a difficult day: the Ftse-Mib index fell by 1,48%, to 16.312 points. London rises to +0,38%. Paris in balance (-0,01%), Frankfurt down (-0,5%). The euro strengthens against the dollar to 1,3295. WTI-type oil retreats after five consecutive days of increases and reaches 105,7 dollars a barrel. It has gained 8% since the beginning of February.
The yield of Ten-year BTP is unchanged a 5,50%, the spread with the Bund is at 361, from 362 yesterday evening. The market is positioning itself in view of the month-end auctions in Italy. Between tomorrow and Monday, the Treasury is auctioning between 15 and 16,5 billion bonds between Ctz, indexed, and BOTs. The United States Stock Exchange shows timid signs of reaction to the macroeconomic data: the Dow Jones index and S&P index rise by 0,2%, while the Nasdaq is slightly above parity.
The index that measures consumer expectations elaborated by Bloomberg rose in February for the fourth consecutive month, reaching -38 from -39,8, and with this rise it returns to the levels of April 2008. The price index of homes rose 0,7% in December, the same change a month earlier, while economists had expected a 0,1% increase.
The EuroStoxx banking index is down 2,5%, driven by Unicredit (-6,2%), after a suspension due to excessive reduction, e Commerzbank (-4,6%). Lenders' other stocks also extend losses: MontePaschi -3,28% PopMilan -3,3% Banco Popolare -3,55% Understanding -2,23%. On the insurance front, expectation is growing for the 2011 data Generali (-0,65%), which will be approved tomorrow. Meanwhile, the battle on the Fonsai front heats up. Premafin is suspended after yesterday Matteo Arpe's Sator and Palladio Finanziaria announced an offer to acquire control of the holding company it controls Fondiaria-Sai, down 4,7%. Unipol it dropped 4,8%.
Mediaset (-3,43%) is under pressure on the Stock Exchange after the disappointing data on accounts and dividends from the Spanish subsidiary (advertising -14% in the fourth quarter) and the negative indications on the advertising market in Italy. According to Mediobanca, the results of Mediaset Spain "are weak, lower than expected", while the dividend, which fell to 0,13799 euro, is "clearly below forecasts".
Finmeccanica salt of 1%. Among the utilities, it slips A2A (-2,5%), downgraded by Citigroup, while Enel fluctuates on parity, promoted by Citigroup itself a neutral da sell: the target price was raised to 3 euros from 2,8 euros.
