MILAN, Feb 4 (Reuters) - 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 (*).
FIAT (FIA.MI)
The Italian government will approve a major aid package for
the car industry on Friday, Development Minister Claudio Scajola
said on a talk show on Tuesday. [ID:nL3464978]
ENI (ENI.MI)
The Italian antitrust authority said on Tuesday it was
conducting a nationwide probe into Eni, Butan Gas and Liquigas
for striking a deal to reduce competition in the liquefied
petroleum gas sector. [ID:nRAT004407]
The Italian government has urged the European Commission not
to ask Eni to sell its Tag gas pipeline to resolve an antitrust
dispute, Corriere della Sera said, citing government sources; it
argued the sale of the pipeline, which brings Russian gas from
the Austrian border to Italy, would jeopardise the country's
energy security.
FINMECCANICA (SIFI.MI)
The Italian aerospace and defence company's DRS Technologies
unit has won a contract worth up to $913 million to supply
services for the U.S. military's Kiowa Warrior helicopters.
[ID:nL4549634]
INDESIT (IND.MI)
The white goods maker plans to close a plant in Turin,
leaving some 600 people without work, according to several
newspapers; the plant had only recently been restructured to
produce a new line of ecological dishwashers.
ASSICURAZIONI GENERALI (GASI.MI)
The insurer reports 2008 premiums and analysts have said it
could also provide a guidance on net profit for the year.
[ID:nL2247015]
PRYSMIAN (PRY.MI)
Citigroup cuts its price target on the cable maker to 10.70
euros from 13 euros. Its rating is "buy". [ID:nWNAB7741]
FASTWEB (FWB.MI)
Deutsche Bank cuts its rating on the telecommunications
operator to "hold" from "buy". [ID:nWNAB7756]
* TELECOM ITALIA (TLIT.MI)
Italy's incumbent telecommunications operator is considering
a 25 percent cut to its dividend to about 0.5 euros per share to
0.6 euros per share, MF said.
Angelo Rovati, adviser to Rothschild and former adviser to
former Prime Minister Romano Prodi, sees Telecom Italia merging
with Mediaset (MS.MI) after it spins off its fixed-line network,
according to an interview given to Il Sole 24 Ore.
Telecom Italia Chief Executive Franco Bernabe used to work
for Rothschild in Italy.
Mediaset is owned by the family of Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi.
* ATLANTIA (ATL.MI)
Benetton family holding Sintonia said in a statement on
Tuesday it had appointed Eni's (ENI.MI) former exploration and
production chief, Stefano Cao, as chief executive. Sintonia owns
stakes in Atlantia and Telecom Italia.
* BANKS
The banking sector is considering asking the government to
help fund a temporary lay-off scheme for workers in the sector,
similar to the one for manufacturers, Libero said.
SMALL AND MID-CAP COMPANIES
IT HOLDING (ITH.MI)
IT Holding is in talks with private equity fund Kingsbridge
over a 100 million euro investment in the debt-laden group, a
source close to the matter told Reuters after a rescue board
meeting on Tuesday. [ID:nL3928681]
AEFFE (AEF.MI)
The owner of fashion brands such as Alberta Ferretti and
Moschino said in a statement on Tuesday its 2008 sales rose 3.2
percent to 297 million euros on a constant currency and
like-for-like group structure basis.
COMPANY RESULTS
The following companies will hold board meetings on results:
ASSICURAZIONI GENERALI (GASI.MI)
ITALCEMENTI (ITAI.MI)
