Italy's Avio surges on US-linked air defence contract

Avio SpA

06/03/2026 11:52

** Shares in Italy's Avio AVI.MI rise as much as 9.8% after the group signs a $65 million (56.16 million euros) solid rocket motor contract for air-defence applications

** The 3-year contract, signed with a U.S. joint venture acting as prime contractor for the Pentagon, may also leverage the rocket maker's U.S. site

** Order visibility is "critical" to Avio's long-term growth narrative, brokerage Jefferies says

** The order demonstrates strong demand in the segment, which is even more evident considering recent geopolitical developments, brokerage Equita notes

** Avio is set to join the Italian blue-chip stock index FTSE Mib .FTMIB on March 23, the FTSE Italia Index Series Technical Committee wrote on March 4

** Including Friday's rise, the stock has gained 25.38% YTD​

(1 euro = $1.1575)

(Reporting by Philippe Leroy Beaulieu in Gdansk)