The FTSE MIB rose 1% to close at 42,646 on Friday, led by financials. Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, BPER, and Sondrio rose between 1.5% and 2.5% on a positive session for lenders and Italian bonds. Also, Generali advanced 2.5% after confirming that any asset management deal with France’s BPCE remains subject to board approval. There is opposition from major shareholders and legal concerns from Rome. Poste Italiane added 1% on reports it may introduce an annual fee for its digital identity service, potentially generating €100 million in profit. On the downside, Brunello Cucinelli dropped 1.7%, marking an 18% plunge on the week after short-seller Morpheus Research accused it of misleading investors about its Russia exposure. The company denied the allegations, saying its operations comply with EU sanctions and are limited to inventory delivered before sanctions.