Avio shares rise 10.98% on Milan Star

(ANSA) - Milan, April 18 - Shares in the Italian aerospace group Avio rose by 10.98% to 13.95 euros in early trading on Monday as the company specialising in the production of satellite launch systems made its debut on the Star segment of the Milan stock exchange following its merger with Space2. Leonardo Finmeccanica, an Avio shareholder since 2003, will invest in the operation together with the special purpose acquisition company and the company's management. "Avio's listing is an innovative operation that uses a European partnership as leverage to project the company onto the global market," said Avio CEO Giulio Ranzo following the traditional bell-ringing ceremony to mark the group's debut on the bourse. Borsa Italiana CEO Raffaele Jerusalmi, Italian Space Agency President Roberto Battiston, European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and businessman and publisher Urbano Cairo, a shareholder in Space2, attended the ceremony. photo: Ranzo with Samanta Cristoforetti