Stock Markets March 24, 2026

Milan Benchmark Closes Higher as Telecoms, Energy and Leisure Stocks Lead Gains

Investing.com Italy 40 posts a modest advance as commodity markets and FX show mixed moves

By Hana Yamamoto FCT
Milan Benchmark Closes Higher as Telecoms, Energy and Leisure Stocks Lead Gains
FCT

Italian equities closed higher on Tuesday, with the Investing.com Italy 40 rising 0.26% as Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Travel & Leisure sectors outperformed. Inwit, DiaSorin and Amplifon were the session leaders, while Fincantieri, Leonardo and Ferrari lagged. Market breadth was narrowly positive and oil prices climbed, alongside a firmer US dollar.

Key Points

  • Investing.com Italy 40 closed up 0.26%, driven by gains in Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Travel & Leisure sectors.
  • Top individual performers included Inwit (BIT:INWT), DiaSorin (BIT:DIAS) and Amplifon (BIT:AMPF); laggards included Fincantieri (BIT:FCT), Leonardo (BIT:LDOF) and Ferrari (BIT:RACE).
  • Commodity and FX moves were significant: WTI and Brent crude rose materially while June Gold futures edged lower; USD futures strengthened.

Italian shares ended Tuesday's session in positive territory, with the Investing.com Italy 40 index gaining 0.26% at the close in Milan. Sector strength in Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Travel & Leisure underpinned the advance, with several individual names posting notable moves.

The top performer within the Italy 40 was Inwit (BIT:INWT), which closed up 9.89% - an increase of 0.62 points to a final price of 6.89. Health-care equipment maker DiaSorin SpA (BIT:DIAS) also registered a solid rise, adding 4.82% or 2.68 points to finish at 58.30. Hearing-aid specialist Amplifon (BIT:AMPF) advanced 4.10%, up 0.34 points to 8.74 in late trading.

On the downside, Fincantieri SpA (BIT:FCT) was the weakest name in the index, declining 3.66% or 0.47 points to close at 12.37. Aerospace and defence firm Leonardo SpA (BIT:LDOF) fell 2.06%, slipping 1.22 points to 57.98. Luxury automaker Ferrari NV (BIT:RACE) lost 1.34%, down 3.80 points to 279.30.

Market breadth in Milan was narrowly positive: 304 stocks rose versus 299 that fell, while 47 shares finished unchanged. That distribution points to a session where gains were only marginally more frequent than declines.

Commodities trading showed a notable move in crude oil. WTI crude for May delivery increased 5.59%, climbing $4.93 to $93.06 per barrel. Brent for June delivery gained 4.75%, up $4.56 to $100.48 a barrel. In precious metals, the June Gold futures contract eased 0.11%, down $4.80 to trade at $4,434.70 per troy ounce.

Foreign exchange markets were mixed. EUR/USD was unchanged at 1.16, reflecting a 0.40% reading as reported, while EUR/GBP was effectively flat at 0.87 with a 0.08% figure. The US Dollar Index Futures moved higher, up 0.69% to 99.40.

Overall, the session combined sector-leading gains in Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Travel & Leisure with selective weakness among industrial and luxury names, in a market that recorded slightly more advancers than decliners.

Risks

  • Commodity price volatility - sharp increases in crude oil could affect energy-exposed sectors and input costs for broader markets.
  • Narrow market breadth - the close count was close (304 rising vs 299 falling), indicating limited breadth that could leave indices vulnerable if breadth weakens further.
  • Concentrated sector moves - heavy reliance on gains from Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Travel & Leisure means underperformance in these sectors could weigh on the index.

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