(Boursier.com) – European markets are hesitant on Monday, in a calm market due to the absence of many operators during this holiday season. The CAC 40 is now on a timid rise of 0.16% to 7,098 pts. The DAX gained 0.23% towards 15,800 pts. The markets are still struggling to assess the medium-term consequences of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19.
London’s FTSE is closed on Monday, but ended last week at the 22-month high. Hong Kong and Sydney are also closed.
Wall Street, which was closed Friday for Christmas Eve, is oriented practically stable before market on Monday, with a Dow Jones marginally in the red and an S&P 500 unchanged, against a slight rise on the Nasdaq. The New York Stock Exchange had signed Thursday a third consecutive session of increase, the S&P 500 index even ending on a new record, on the eve of a three-day weekend. Investors were relieved by reassuring news about the Omicron variant, and also welcomed an improvement in US consumer sentiment in December, despite high inflation. At the close, the Dow jones had advanced 0.55% to 35,950 points, while the broad index S&P 500 had gained 0.62% to 4,725 pts, erasing its December 10 record at 4,712 pts. the Nasdaq Composite, rich in technological and biotech stocks, rose 0.85% to 15.653 pts.
The Nikkei ended this morning down 0.37%. Mainland Chinese stock markets also fell, with the SSE dropping 0.06%. The People’s Bank of China has however promised to promote a healthy development of the real estate market …
In the forex market, the euro is almost stable at $ 1.132. Crude prices are falling. A barrel of Brent drops 0.1% to $ 75.7 and that of US light crude (WTI) returns 1.1% to $ 73.
US airlines yesterday canceled about a thousand flights for the third day in a row. Airlines on Sunday canceled more than 1,000 domestic and international flights, slightly more than Christmas Day, according to data from flight tracking site FlightAware.com. The spread of the Omicron variant is shaking up vacation travel plans as isolation requirements force more pilots and crew to self-quarantine. According to FlightAware, the string of days of massive cancellations has therefore continued.
New Covid-19 infections topped 197,000 in the United States on Christmas Eve and increased 65% in the past fortnight, although hospitalizations only increased 10% in comparison and remain well below previous waves, notes the New York Times. These figures support the thesis of an Omicron variant which is certainly extremely contagious, but less virulent than its sad predecessors.
A preliminary British study showed that people infected with the variant were 50 to 70% less likely to end up in hospital, says CNBC. However, health officials warn of false hope as Omicron appears to be milder, but a very high volume of infections, a U.S. vaccination rate of just 62% and shortages. of staff could still see hospitals overwhelmed. This dynamic is playing out in the United Kingdom, where hospitalizations in London have increased by 92% compared to the previous week. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will decide on Monday whether to tighten restrictions in time for New Years Eve, but he could choose to rely on guidance rather than new laws, reports The Times.
Several countries in Europe have implemented social distancing restrictions, but many have so far resisted economically destructive lockdowns. In France, all options are on the table according to the government, and a new health defense council is being held today, raising fears of restrictions.
Values
Gorgé Group (+ 4.7%) confirms having submitted a non-binding indicative offer for the takeover of the company iXblue, whose activities in maritime, defense, hydrography and drones are complementary to those of its subsidiary ECA Group, specialist in the field of autonomous robotics. The two companies have been working together for several years, notably on the Belgo-Néeerlandais program. A merger “would be likely to generate very significant synergies”, believes Groupe Gorgé, which would not have recourse to a capital increase to carry out this operation.
The acquisition would be carried out by a newly created holding company, which would also hold ECA after the contribution of the Gorge Group and which would have funds provided by an investor and by debt. As the corporate values of ECA and iXblue retained in this project are comparable, Groupe Gorgé would have a significant majority alongside this financial investor and management.
Ipsen (+ 0.5%). By letters received on December 24, 2021 by the AMF, the British fund Parvus Asset Management Europe Limited (London), acting on behalf of clients and funds for which it manages, declared to have crossed upwards on December 21, 2021 , the threshold of 5% of the company’s capital Ipsen and hold, on behalf of said clients and funds, 4,199,384 Ipsen shares representing as many voting rights, ie 5.01% of the capital and 3.18% of the voting rights. This threshold crossing results from an acquisition of shares on the market.
ABC arbitrage (+ 0.7%) was informed by Aubepar Industries SE of the signing of an independent transfer mandate. The purpose of this mandate is to sell 105,418 ABC arbitrage securities in the central order book of the market and / or by blocks of shares outside the central order book of the market. This amount corresponds to 1.2% of the current holding of Aubepar Industries SE and less than 0.2% of the capital of ABC arbitrage. A minimum price of 7.15 euros has been set for this operation. After this entire sale, all other things being equal, Aubepar Industries SE will hold 14.1% of the capital of ABC arbitrage.
ST Dupont (+ 0.3%). As of September 30, 2021, ST Dupont’s product sales amounted to € 15 million, up 23% over the first 6 months of the fiscal year (€ 12.2 million as of September 30, 2020). Sales are partially recovering after a period heavily penalized by the global health crisis (in particular in Asia) and by the containment measures taken by States.
The gross margin rate improved by +11.1 points to 52.8%. To support activity during the first 6 months of the previous financial year, marked by the pandemic, the group had granted significant commercial discounts, resulting in a gross margin of 41.8%. Operating income remained negative for the 1st half of the year, at -1.6 ME (-3.5 ME as of September 30, 2020), i.e. an improvement of 1.9 ME from one period to the next thanks to the takeover of activity.
Europlasma (-2.8%). Following information published in the regional press, Europlasma specifies that the group “is constantly evaluating opportunities to accelerate its development and strengthen its expertise”. These opportunities may involve discussions with targets or potential partners, which is particularly the case with Luxfer. “At this stage, no information can be given as to the potential outcome of these discussions. If this situation were to change, Europlasma would inform its shareholders as well as the market in good time”, specifies the Gironde company … The press regional, referring to the plan to resume Luxfer’s activities, on a new site in Cébazat (Puy-de-Dôme), spoke of a failure of the negotiations when they were about to be completed.
Orange (+ 0.2%). After the period of exclusive negotiations which opened on November 22 and following the assent of the board of directors of Enodia, Orange Belgium and Nethys today signed an agreement for the acquisition by Orange Belgium of 75 % minus one share of VOO SA. The transaction is made on the basis of an enterprise value of 1.8 billion euros for 100% of the capital. This acquisition represents a major step forward in the national convergent strategy of Orange Belgium and will increase investment and competition in the telecommunications sector for the benefit of customers and the competitiveness of the Walloon and Brussels regions.
Adthink (-18%) has set up a financing of 3 ME. Genomic Vision (-3.6%) draws two tranches of bonds for 2 ME.
Danone stands out with a gain of 1.6%, while Stellantis takes 1.4%. Alstom advance of 1.2%, as Saint Gobain. Eurofins Scientific climbs 1.6%. STMicroelectronics on the other hand stumbled by 0.9%, while Worldline yields 1.8%. Vivendi loses 1.3%. L’Oreal gives up 0.7%.