Mar 21 ,2025
Synopsis
Europe eying a flat open for now. Heathrow airport is closed all day after nearby fire causes power outage.
Asian equities are rading mixed Friday. Gains in Japan with the Topix again outperforming the Nikkei. South Korea and Australia a few points higher, India higher for a fourth consecutive day. On the downside, Hong Kong losses gathering speed, mainland China also lower while Taiwan stocks are down.
US equities finished lower in Thursday trading, with some morning strength evaporating by midday and remaining slightly weaker through the afternoon. Big tech was mostly lower. S&P futures (7.0) to 5,705.8, (0.12%) vs settlement
Friday sees, in central banks, Bank of Spain's Escriva speech at 9:15CET at IESE banking event. Bank of Austria's Holzmann speaks at 9:45CET at event organised by OMFIF. Russia central bank interest rate decision and press conf. by the Governor with the benchmark interest rate expected to be left unchanged at 21%
Economic due today: France Mar business confidence, UK Mar consumer confidence - GfK, Feb public sector borrowing requirement, Eurozone Mar flash consumer confidence, Ireland Feb PPI
In M&A: Alfa Laval (ALFA.SS) signs agreement to acquire cryogenics business from Fives Group for €800M on a cash and debt-free basis
Earning reports: (SZG.GR) Salzgitter reports FY EPS (€6.51) vs FactSet (€5.63) [8 est, (€7.05)-(4.22)] (CFT.SW) Cie Financiere Tradition reports FY EPS CHF15.09 vs year-ago CHF12.71, raises dividend +12.5% y/y. FUCHS SE (FPE3.GR) reports FY EPS €2.29 vs FactSet €2.33 [11 est, €2.24-2.39]; expects to generate 2025 EBIT of around €460M vs FactSet €474.56M
Politics/Macro/World News
Top company news
Earnings/updates
GNFT.FP (GENFIT) -- announces completion of royalty financing agreement with HCRx and results of repurchase offer to 2025 OCEANEs holders
DOU.GR (Douglas) -- AG adjusts 2024/25 forecast to account for weakening customer sentiment and slower market development
ROSN.RU (Rosneft Oil) -- reports FY net income RUB1.08B, (14%) vs year-ago RUB1.27B
VETO.FP (Vetoquinol) -- reports FY net income €58.7M vs FactSet €61.2M [7 est, €50.7-109.1M]
CTT.PL (CTT - Correios de Portugal) -- reports Q4 net income attributable €17.8M vs FactSet €13.7M [2 est, €12-15.3M] (post EU close 20-Mar)
BEN.FP (Beneteau) -- reports FY net income €92.9M vs FactSet €90.1M [6 est, €46.9-168.5M]
M&A
MUV2.GR (Munich Re) -- to acquire Next Insurance for $2.6B (€2.39B)
PSM.GR (ProSiebenSat.1 Media) -- ProSiebenSat.1 approves proposed agreement with General Atlantic on acquisition of its minority stakes in NuCom Group and ParshipMeet Group together with intended sale of Verivox
NIOX.LN (NIOX Group) -- confirms that on 6-Mar-25, it received a revised proposal from Keensight Capital of 81p per share vs prior 78p/share. NIOX
SWON.SW (SoftwareONE Holding) -- SoftwareOne announces Crayon transaction cleared by Federal Cartel Office for Germany; transaction still expected to complete in June 2025
EXM.BB (Exmar NV) -- Saverex now holds total of 53.1M shares or 89.24% of the outstanding shares in Exmor NV
SCZ.CN (Santacruz Silver Mining) -- announces US$10M initial payment to Glencore under voluntary plan to exercise acceleration option
Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. and Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. II announce shareholder approvals of merger
Australian companies off the pace in bidding for Ravenswood gold mine - The Australian
Healthcare
NOVN.SW (Novartis) -- receives FDA approval for oral Fabhalta (iptacopan) in treating adults with C3 glomerulopathy
BDTX (Black Diamond Therapeutics) -- Insider transaction: Black Diamond Therapeutics holder Biotech Growth N.V. discloses sale of 5.8M shares - Form 4
NYXH.BB (Nyxoah) -- files $200M mixed shelf; enters sales agreement for up to $50M of ordinary shares with Cantor Fitzgerald - F-3
NANO.FP (Nanobiotix) -- announces presentation of data from two phase 1 studies evaluating JNJ-1900 (NBTXR3) at the European lung cancer conference
POXEL.FP (Poxel) -- announces top-line results from preclinical study for PXL065 in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
532296.IN (Glenmark Pharmaceuticals) -- Glenmark receives ANDA approval for Olopatadine Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution USP, 0.2% (OTC)
BIOG.B.SS (BioGaia) -- discloses Anatom Holding becomes anchor shareholder
Other
UBSG.SW (UBS Group) -- Follow-up: UBS Group weighing moving headquarters unless Switzerland lowers capital demands - Bloomberg
MBG.GR (Mercedes-Benz Group) -- releases sustainability report
HSBA.LN (HSBC Holdings) -- intends to issue SG$800.0M 5.000% resettable perpetual subordinated contingent convertible securities
BA.LN (BAE Systems) -- named principal contractor for $100M sale to Kingdom of Saudi Arabie
SGSN.SW (SGS) -- achieves ISO 45001:2018 ANAB accreditation in North America
BOL.SS (Boliden) -- announces intention to carry out directed share issue of ~ SEK 3.75B through BNP PARIBAS, SEB, RBC Capital Markets
BOL.SS (Boliden) -- completes directed share issue of ~10.7M shares raising gross proceeds of ~SEK3.75B, through BNP PARIBAS, SEB, RBC Capital Markets
COV.FP (Covivio) -- releases sustainability report
Curtiss-Wright awarded contracts by Rheinmetall to provide turret drive stabilization systems for Boxer heavy weapon carriers and Lynx IFVs
Regional Gaming Revenues - Massachusetts February 2025
Key rating changes
Upgrades
CRST.LN (Crest Nicholson Holdings) -- to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital Markets
MBG.GR (Mercedes-Benz Group) -- to equal weight from underweight at Barclays
OR.FP (L'Oreal) -- to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital Markets
SBRY.LN (J Sainsbury) -- to buy from hold at HSBC
TEL2.B.SS (Tele2) -- to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan
ZEAL.DC (Zealand Pharma) -- to overweight from equal-weight at Morgan Stanley
Downgrades
SW.FP (Sodexo) -- to hold from buy at Deutsche Bank
WG.LN (John Wood Group) -- to hold from buy at Jefferies
NESN.SW (Nestle) -- to sector perform from outperform at RBC Capital Markets
DB1.GR (Deutsche Börse) -- to hold from buy at HSBC
SW.FP (Sodexo) -- to equal-weight from overweight at Morgan Stanley
G1A.GR (GEA Group) -- to sector perform from outperform at RBC Capital Markets
ROCK.B.DC (Rockwool) -- to equal weight from overweight at Barclays
SGL.GR (SGL Carbon) -- to hold from buy at Deutsche Bank
YUBICO.SS (Yubico) -- to hold from buy at Carnegie Securities
XPP.LN (XP Power) -- to reduce from add at Peel Hunt
Other Actions
OSB.LN (OSB Group) -- transferred hold at Peel Hunt; prior rating was hold
Data
Nikkei (0.11%) to 37708.96
Hang Seng (2.07%) to 23718.08
Shanghai Composite (1.25%) to 3366.41
S&P futures (7.5) vs prior close of 5712.8
€-$ (0.0016) or (0.15%) to 1.0838
$-¥ +0.71 or +0.48% to 149.50
€-¥ +0.50 or +0.31% to 161.99
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