MILAN, June 25 (Reuters) - The following factors could affect Italian markets on Thursday.
Reuters has not verified the newspaper reports, and cannot
vouch for their accuracy. New items are marked with (*).
TELECOM ITALIA (TLIT.MI)
Telecom Italia is likely to sell its stake in its Argentine
unit, which is caught up in a probe by local antitrust
regulators, two industry sources close to the matter said.
[ID:nNLO888301]
The phone company is ready to sell its stake in Telecom
Argentina (TEC2.BA) if the price is right, newspapers reported
on Thursday, quoting Chief Executive Franco Bernabe.
[ID:nLP584551]
* Goldman Sachs adds the stock to its "Conviction Buy" list.
BANKS
Italy will annul alternative charges set by banks in place
of overdraft fees, Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti said on
Wednesday. [ID:nRON004688]
BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA (BMPS.MI)
A consortium formed to buy 150 of the bank's properties and
headed by the main shareholder foundation and investor Rocca
Salimbeni is close to completion, MF reported in an unsourced
story. French insurer Axa (AXAF.PA) and Assicurazioni Generali
(GASI.MI) are front-runners to join the group, it said. The bank
will sell the properties for 1.8 billion euros, with a capital
gain of 500 million euros.
* British bank Barclays (BARC.L) is still interested in buying
branches from the Siena bank, Finanza e Mercati quoted the head
of its Italian unit as saying.
The bank holds its annual shareholder meeting in Siena.
* GENERALI (GASI.MI)
Banc of America-Merrill Lynch raises the insurer to
"neutral", raises price target to 14.50 euros from 12.50 euros.
SMALL AND MID-CAPS
EDITORIALE L'ESPRESSO (ESPI.MI)
The publishing company said it was considering suing Prime
Minister Silvio Berlusconi for urging an advertising boycott of
its La Repubblica daily. [ID:nLO596563]
* ACEA (ACE.MI)
Rome's mayor is working on a plan that foresees a merger
with Hera (HRA.MI) and other utilities, Finanza e Mercati
reported without citing sources. The plan for the Rome utility
will be ready in a couple of weeks and could include a role for
France's GDF Suez (GSZ.PA).
PIAGGIO (PIA.MI)
The scooter maker has begun production at its first plant in
Vietnam, making inroads into one of the world's largest scooter
markets. [ID:nHAN458662]
SAFILO (SFLG.MI)
Credit rating agency Moody's lowered the eyewear company's
corporate family rating to CAA2, from B3. [ID:nWNA7480]
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services cut Safilo's long-term
corporate credit rating to 'CC' from 'CCC+'. [ID:NWNA7511]
I VIAGGI DEL VENTAGLIO (VVE.MI)
The tour operator and holiday village company reports its
first-half results to April 30.
