European stock markets ended Thursday's session in positive territory, with Milan leading the way as the FTSE MIB index recorded significant gains. The main drivers were banking sector stocks, particularly Mps and Mediobanca, and excellent results from the Stellantis conglomerate. Simultaneously, the commodities market saw a rebound in natural gas prices, which rose by nearly 4 percent, reaching a level of 32.2 euros per megawatt-hour.

Bull Market in Milan

The FTSE MIB index rises by over 1 percent, reaching historic highs thanks to the banking sector and Stellantis.

Gas Price Rebound

After morning declines, the gas price on the Amsterdam exchange rose to 32.2 euros per MWh, representing a 3.7 percent increase.

Russian Shadow Fleet

Reports indicate enormous profits for Russia from oil trade despite sanctions, destabilizing the European energy market.

European capital markets are showing great resilience in the face of geopolitical uncertainty, with sessions at the end of February 2026 dominated by investor optimism awaiting results from tech giants like Nvidia. The Italian FTSE MIB index reached levels not seen since 2000, a result of a wave of speculation about consolidation in the banking sector. Particular attention is drawn to movements around Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank and Mediobanca, where the market is counting on favorable share exchange ratios in merger processes. An additional factor supporting the markets was information about progress in creating lists of candidates for supervisory boards at Banco BPM, which stabilizes corporate governance in key financial institutions. The Milan Stock Exchange, founded in 1808 by Eugène de Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy, has for decades served as a barometer for the health of the third-largest economy in the eurozone.The situation on the energy market remains dynamic. Although Thursday's session began with drops in the price of blue fuel below 31 euros, it closed with a clear increase to a level of 32.2 euros per MWh. Experts link this volatility to reports about the circumvention of sanctions by the Russian "shadow fleet" transporting energy resources, which generates enormous profits for Moscow with relatively low budget revenues for European countries. Furthermore, in Italy, diesel prices reached their highest level in 11 months, putting additional inflationary pressure on the transport and logistics sector. In the industrial sector, contrasting sentiments were noted. On one hand, Stellantis, despite announcing its first annual loss in its history, gained on the stock exchange thanks to optimistic forecasts regarding margins and restructuring. On the other hand, companies such as Prysmian felt a correction after the publication of financial results. Representatives of Saipem declared readiness to return to the Venezuelan market, which could open new prospects for the Italian extraction industry in South America. Investors are also closely monitoring consumer sentiment in Switzerland, where financial analysts are showing unprecedented optimism in months regarding future economic conditions.„Il mercato delle telecomunicazioni necessita di riforme strutturali per garantire stabilità e crescita nel lungo periodo.” — CEO of the TIM (Telecom Italia) group, speaking about the condition of the telecommunications sector.

Mentioned People

  • Pietro Labriola — CEO of the TIM (Telecom Italia) group, speaking about the condition of the telecommunications sector.
  • Giuseppe Castagna — President of Banco BPM, responsible for the process of creating a new list of candidates for the bank's board.