FTSE MIB Italia

FTSE MIB 40 Index trading at AvaTrade

The FTSE MIB is the standard stock market Index for the Italian national stock exchange, known as the Borsa Italiana. The Index represents the 40 most traded stocks on the exchange, including the leading companies across the ICB (Industry Classification Benchmark) sectors in Italy.

The Index has been established from the stocks which are traded on the Borsa Italiana’s (BIt) main equity market.

A Brief FTSE MIB History

Eugène de Beauharnais established the Milan Stock Exchange (Borsa di Commercio) in January 1808.  It was publicly owned until 1998 when it was privatized. In October 2007, the exchange was subject to a takeover and it merged with the London Stock Exchange, creating the London Stock Exchange Group. In 2016 the LSEG announced that it would merge in a deal with Deutsche Borse (a merger that finally was abandoned).

Until 2004, the Italian stock market was based on the performance of the MIB 30 the top 30 companies on the Milan stock exchange. It later became the S&P/MIB, composed of the top 40 stocks from the Borsa Italiana, and as of 2009, it has been known as the FTSE MIB.

Over the past 10 years, the FTSE MIB has seen a lot of movement. From 2005 to 2007, the index was rising to a high of 43,755. Shortly after there were some up and down trends following various world events. Today the FTSE MIB is above 23,870.

The base value of the FTSE MIB Index was set at the level of the MIB 30 Index at the close of trading on October 31, 2003 at 10644 points. Historically, the Italy Stock Market (FTSE MIB) reached an all-time high of 50108.56 in March of 2000 and a record low of 12362.50 in July of 2012.

Free-Float Capitalization-Weighted

The free-float methodology is a term used in stocks trading, which measures the number of shares that are available in the market for the general public to buy and sell. In comparison, full market capitalization calculates all of the outstanding shares that are available.

This can change daily since each stocks price fluctuates on a regular basis. Free float market capitalization only considers the shares of the company that are offered on the trading market. This methodology is used for calculating most European stock market indices, including the DAX 30 as well as for American SP500.

The 40 companies listed on the Borsa Italiana are chosen from different industries to make a well-rounded mix of the Italian market. For example, Pirelli who make tires, Tenaris who is in the iron and steel business, Enel which is Green Power, and several Banks.

The Index is taken from the stocks traded on the Borsa Italiana (BIt) MTA and MIV markets. The Price Index and Total Return index are calculated in real time in Euros.

Top 5 Companies of MIB 40 by Market Capitalization

ENI: An Italian oil and gas companyCurrent market capitalization is $ $48.204.561.054
Enel: Is an Italian multinational oil and gas company in RomeCurrent market capitalization is $39.887.952.100
Intesa Sanpaolo:  Is an Italian Banking GroupCurrent market capitalization is $38.205.718.059
Luxottica: An Italian eyewear companyCurrent market capitalization is $23.604.913.158
Atlantia: An Italian holding company with the primary asset being the Italian autostrade network.Current market capitalization is $20.162.259.321

Factors That Influence the Overall Index Price

The two main factors that affect share prices are the performance of the companies that issued the shares and the environment.

When geopolitical conditions such as climate, regional stability and natural resource are calm, we tend to see increases in the value of the FTSE MIB 40. However, when the tensions surrounding these issues are at a high, we tend to see downward trends.

The FTSE MIB (FTSE Italia) like all other stock market indexes is dependent on the performance of its companies.  When they do well, the index overall does well.

Some world events can influence the index, these include Government elections, ECB interest rate updates, new trade agreements, and the price of oil.

If you are looking to trade on Italian stocks the easiest way is through a broad market index. The FTSE MIB overall can be an attractive asset to trade on. There are various reasons that traders flock towards this index, a few of the main reasons are:

  • High Liquidity
  • Total Transparency
  • Price dynamics are relatively predictable outside of crisis situations
  • Ease of access to information regarding the main price index movers.
  • Large amounts of news coverage

FTSE MIB Trading information

  • MT4/MT5 Symbol: ITALY_40
  • MIB 40 Trading Time: Monday – Friday 08:00 – 16:39
  • Issuing Country: Italy
  • Index Currency: EUR
  • MIB 40 Minimum Trade Size: 0.10
  • Margin trading available
  • MIB 40 Price Increment: 5.00
  • Exchange: Borsa Italiana (Italian Derivatives Exchange)

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