Piazza Affari in the running in the mid-eighth session with the new US inflation records that have not shaken investors. The Ftse Mib index scores + 0.65% at the end of the day at 27,714 points. Today, the December reading of US inflation took the spotlight, rising as expected to 7%, compared to + 6.8% in November. This is the highest level since February 1982. Excluding the most volatile components, represented by the prices of food and energy, core inflation advanced by 5.5%, compared to + 4.9% previously.
The absolute protagonist today in Piazza Affari was Azimut, which reached over + 4% at € 26.45. The group chaired by Pietro Giuliani estimates that it will close 2021 with the best consolidated net profit in the history of the group, between 600 and 605 million euros, higher than the guidance provided to the market (equal to 350 – 500 million). At the end of 2021, the assets of the foreign business reached 40% of the total, and the contribution to the foreign operating EBITDA is estimated at around 70 million.
A day of glory also for Iveco (+ 5.5%) which collected the buy of the Intesa Sanpaolo analysts who started hedging on the stock with a target price of 16.9 euros.
Among the big names in the Milanese list, a decidedly positive day for ENI (+ 1.89% to 13.052 euros) which reached its highest levels since February 2020. Intesa Sanpaolo also did very well with + 2.56% and Stellantis (+1.89 to 18.38 euros) which are also the two best titles of the Ftse Mib since the beginning of the year.
Among the banks, the focus remains on M&A while waiting for the first quarterly numbers of the US banking giants to arrive on Friday. Bper (-0.1% to € 1.928) would intend not to stop with the Carige operation and would also aim to integrate Popolare di Sondrio, of which Unipol (Bper’s largest shareholder) already holds 9.5%. Other rumors instead see Unicredit (-3.23%) look to Russia. Otkritie Bank is being targeted with a due diligence process that could kick off this week, according to Bloomberg agency.
Among the other stocks in decline today TIM (-0.2%) with the latest rumors that see on the agenda on January 21 the board of directors who will designate Labriola as the next CEO of the tlc group. Press rumors also indicate doubts on the part of TIM’s advisors about the timing envisaged by KKR’s offer which would include 9 months to close the takeover bid and 24 months to complete the demerger of the fixed network, times that would be incompatible with the deadlines for obtaining the synergies of the single network.