European stock markets closed higher in the final session of a difficult week, while the Milan Stock Exchange ended flat, despite new banking consolidation moves in Italy. Monte dei Paschi (-1,3%) and Mediobanca (-1,8%) were among the worst performers in the FTSE MIB index, with the market describing the dual offer for BPM (-0,4%) and Banca Generali (-2,05%) as "complex and uncertain," reported the newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.
The operation was designed by Monte dei Paschi's CEO, Luigi Lovaglio, as a defense against Intesa's (-0,7%) offer, in conjunction with Unipol (+0,9%), for the Siena bank. Otherwise, markets benefited from a truce in US debt and yields, following the record highs of previous days. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the government may expand its bond repurchase program.
In the week's balance, Milan fell 2%, Paris 2,6%, Frankfurt 0,7%, and Madrid 1,1%. On Wall Street, with the period still underway, the S&P 500 was down 0,9%, the Dow Jones 1,5%, and the Nasdaq 1,6%. At Piazza Affari, Ferrari (+4,3%) led, followed by Eni (+3,7%) and Saipem (+3,2%), boosted by oil. On the negative side were St (-10,7%), Moncler (-7%), and Inwit (-6,2%).
Read the original article in Italian in the newspaper. Il Sole 24 Ore .
