Italy - Factors to watch on Feb. 8

The following factors could affect Italian markets on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified the newspaper reports, and cannot vouch for their accuracy. New items are marked with (*). For a complete list of diary events in Italy please click on . ECONOMY ISTAT releases December retail sales data (0900 GMT). COMPANIES TELECOM ITALIA (TIM) Italian state lender CDP is sounding out banks that could help finance its offer for TIM's landline grid while also speaking to infrastructure funds, though time is tight to recruit a co-investor, sources close to the matter said. (*) Il Messaggero daily reported on Wednesday that CDP would match the offer of around 20 billion euros presented last week by KKR , with a bid involving Australian fund Macquarie and agreed with the Italian Economy Ministry.

(*) Il Sole 24 Ore daily reported on Wednesday that KKR's offer would also include a commitment to invest 7 billion euros in TIM's grid infrastructure, which needs to be upgraded from old copper to fibre.

(*) BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA Italian state-owned bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena BMPS.MI on Wednesday posted a much larger-than-expected quarterly profit, as rising interest rates boosted revenues and job cuts lowered its costs. Net income at Monte dei Paschi (MPS), which is 64% owned by the state, came in at 156 million euros ($167 million) in the October-December period, roughly twice the 75 million euros forecast by analysts polled by the bank.($1 = 0.9317 euros) BANCO BPM Italy's third-largest bank confirmed its 2023 net earnings per share and raised its dividend for 2022 on Tuesday, after higher interest rates helped it beat fourth quarter profit forecasts. INSURERS Italy's insurance regulator IVASS has halted the redemptions of investment products managed by life insurer Eurovita, the special administrator appointed by IVASS to run the company said on Tuesday. NEXII Sabadell has picked the Italian payments group as the preferred bidder to acquire the Spanish bank's retailers' payments business, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. BANCA MEDIOLANUM Board meeting on FY results, followed by conference call (1530 GMT). BPER BANCA Board meeting on FY results (preliminary FY results), followed by conference call (1700 GMT). EUROGROUP LAMINATIONS Electric motor components maker EuroGroup Laminations ends IPO. DIARY Rome, South and PNRR Minister Raffaele Fitto speaks at Senate joint EU Policies commission ahead of Feb. 9-10 special European Council (1000 GMT). Rome, Elettricita Futura holds event "The electricity sector's 2030 Plan: opportunities for the Italian supply chain" with Chairman Agostino Re Rebaudengo (0950 GMT), Enel CEO Francesco Starace (1010 GMT); Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin and Industry Minister Adolfo Urso (1030 GMT). Rome, "Agricolture al centro" conference, with Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani; Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida; EU Affairs, South and PNRR Minister Raffaele Fitto and EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski (1130 GMT).

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Italy - Factors to watch on Feb. 8

By Reuters

Reuters

Reuters

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