Stock Markets March 24, 2026 01:05 PM

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

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.

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

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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