Stocks in Milan ended the trading session in positive territory on Thursday, paced by strength in Chemicals, Healthcare and Utilities names. At the close, the Investing.com Italy 40 index recorded a gain of 0.22%.
The session's top performer was DiaSorin SpA (BIT:DIAS), which advanced 7.20%, or 4.84 points, to finish at 72.10. Luxury apparel maker Brunello Cucinelli (BIT:BCU) climbed 2.52%, adding 2.04 points to close at 83.10, while FinecoBank Banca Fineco SpA (BIT:FBK) rose 2.35% or 0.48 points to end the day at 20.90.
Not all large stocks moved higher. STMicroelectronics (BIT:STMMI) was the session's weakest large-cap, sliding 2.60% or 1.78 points to 66.73 at the close. Cable and systems supplier Prysmian SpA (BIT:PRY) declined 2.30%, losing 3.55 points to close at 150.60, and steelpipe producer Tenaris SA (BIT:TENR) slipped 1.12% or 0.31 points to 27.38.
Market breadth on the Milan exchange was relatively balanced: 375 stocks finished higher, 358 declined and 47 were unchanged.
Commodities saw notable moves during the session. Crude oil for July delivery fell 3.25%, or $3.12, to settle at $92.90 a barrel. Brent crude for August delivery dropped 2.88%, or $2.82, to $94.99 a barrel. In contrast, the August gold futures contract rose 0.83%, gaining $37.07 to trade at $4,503.97 per troy ounce.
Currency and index futures activity included EUR/USD at 1.16 with a recorded movement listed as unchanged 0.25%, and EUR/GBP quoted as unchanged 0.10% to 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures moved lower, down 0.21% to 99.29 at the close.
Key points
- Italy 40 closed up 0.22%, supported by gains in Chemicals, Healthcare and Utilities sectors.
- Top individual winners included DiaSorin (+7.20%), Brunello Cucinelli (+2.52%) and FinecoBank (+2.35%).
- Energy-related names and broader commodity prices were mixed - crude and Brent fell while gold rose.
Risks and uncertainties
- Volatility in oil prices - both WTI and Brent fell sharply during the session, which can weigh on energy and industrial sectors.
- Notable declines among large-cap industrial and technology names such as STMicroelectronics and Prysmian introduce downside risk for market momentum.
- Currency and futures movements were modest but could affect exporters and importers sensitive to EUR/USD or dollar index swings.