Introduction to the performance of European stock exchanges
The European stock exchanges opened the week with a rather cautious trend, with the Ftse Mib remaining substantially unchanged at around 34,900 points. This scenario reflects the uncertainty that characterizes the markets waiting for important decisions from central banks, in particular the Federal Reserve, which is expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday
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Performance of the main Italian companies
Among the prominent companies in Piazza Affari, there were purchases on Bper and MPS, both up 0.9%. On the contrary, significant setbacks are observed for Amplifon (-1.15%), Interpump (-1%) and Stellantis (-1%). These movements highlight market volatility and investor reaction to economic news and future expectations
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Economic indicators and forecasts
Today, analysts’ attention is focused on European and US PMI indices, which will provide further indications on the health of the economy. In addition, the interventions of some central bankers, including Christine Lagarde, could influence market expectations. In China, retail sales slowed down in November, from an increase of 4.8% to 3%, while industrial production accelerated slightly, reaching +5.4%.
Global situation and commodity markets
The week is also marked by BoE and BoJ meetings, which should keep the cost of money unchanged. On the bond front, the Btp-Bund spread remains stable at 113 basis points. As far as commodities are concerned, Brent oil is above 74 dollars per barrel, while gold is at 2,654 dollars an ounce, marking a period
of stability after recent fluctuations.
Trend of currencies and cryptocurrencies
In the currency market, the euro/dollar exchange rate is around 1.05, while the dollar/yen is at 153.5. Cryptocurrencies, on the other hand, continue to surprise: Bitcoin has reached a new all-time high, exceeding 106,000 dollars. This phenomenon highlights the growing interest of investors in digital currencies, despite their intrinsic volatility
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