Stock market with only slightly changed prices expected

Stock market with only slightly changed prices expected

The Vienna stock market is expected to begin trading on Friday with minimal changes. The European stock exchanges expect a friendly start to trading in view of inconsistent guidelines from overseas. The European Central Bank (ECB) will release March monetary and credit growth figures in the morning, while the US will release consumption data (PCE) and related deflators in the afternoon.

Palfinger and Polytec could be in focus from a company perspective as they present their quarterly figures. The Austrian crane manufacturer Palfinger announced record operating earnings (EBIT) and consolidated earnings in the first quarter of 2024. On the previous trading day, the ATX closed 0.50 percent weaker at 3,562.39 points, while disappointing quarterly figures and business outlook from large companies such as Meta, IBM and Caterpillar weighed on stock prices.

Andritz and Strabag published business figures in the current reporting season. Andritz shares reacted with a significant decline of 5.3 percent, as operating profit fell by 4.2 percent to 139.9 million euros in the first quarter of 2024. Sales also fell by 3.9 percent to 1.89 billion euros. Strabag, Austria's largest construction group, however, recorded a significant increase in profits, with consolidated earnings increasing by a third to EUR 630.5 million compared to the previous year.

In the prime market, Frequentis, DO&CO and Semperit recorded the biggest price gains, while Andritz, Zumtobel and Immofinanz were among the biggest losers. The Strabag shares, on the other hand, recorded an increase of 0.8 percent. The development of the Vienna stock market remains to be seen before the trading session, while investors look at the results of the ECB and consumption data from the USA.