Italy - Factors to watch on Feb. 19

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 IT/DIA.

COMPANIES

POSTE ITALIANE PST.MI, TELECOM ITALIA TLIT.MI

State-backed Poste Italiane is ready to increase its recently acquired stake in Telecom Italia (TIM), three sources said, in a move that would strengthen its position in any potential M&A deal involving the phone group.

(*) The Italian government would look favourably on TIM joining forces with France's Iliad to create a major pan-European telecoms player, Italian daily La Stampa wrote on Wednesday, citing market government sources.

BANCO BPM BAMI.MI, UNICREDIT CRDI.MI, ANIMA HOLDING ANIM.MI

Banco BPM on Tuesday rebuffed concerns raised by suitor UniCredit about its capital reserves, and said it trusted it would be able to apply favourable capital rules to its proposed purchase of fund manager Anima Holding.

(*) Banco BPM is considering lodging a second complaint with market watchdog Consob over the bid by UniCredit, daily La Stampa wrote on Wednesday, citing financial sources.

BANCA POPOLARE SONDRIO BPSI.MI

The bank, the target of an unsolicited offer from BPER Banca, said on Tuesday it had postponed the presentation of its 2025-2027 business plan to March 12, from the previously announced February 26.

JUVENTUS JUVE.MI

Cryptocurrency firm Tether is open to all future options with regards to increasing its investment in Juventus, the Italian Serie A soccer club where it has built a 5% stake, and has the financial capacity to do so, its CEO Paolo Ardoino said on Tuesday.

(*) RECORDATI RECI.MI

Recordati's main shareholder CVC Capital Partners, through its vehicle Rossini, holds around 46.8% of the Italian drug maker, it said on Wednesday, after selling shares at 55.70 euros per share through an accelerated bookbuilding (ABB) process.

(*) NEWLAT NWLF.MI

The Italian food company is among possible buyers of the baby-food brand Plasmon, if the global packaged food group Kraft Heinz decides to sell it, Italian daily Il Sole 24 Ore wrote on Wednesday.

(*) REPLY REY.MI

Deutsche Bank on Wednesday initiated the coverage of the stock with 'hold' rating and a target price of 180 euros.

ECONOMY

Bank of Italy releases December data on foreign investors holdings of Italian government bonds.

DEBT

Orders for Italy's new retail-only 'BTP Plus' bond reached 9.3 billion euros ($9.73 billion) at the end of the second day of the offer, Milan bourse data showed on Tuesday, a sign of stronger demand compared with a similar issuance last May

Treasury continues offer of eight-year 'BTP Piu' bonds [BTP Valore family] dedicated to retail investors with the possibility of early repayment of the principal; ends on Feb. 21, subject to early closure.

COMPANIES

EDISON EDNn.MI

Releases FY results.

MEDIOBANCA MDBI.MI

Members of main shareholders' pact hold meeting to evaluate takeover offer by Monte dei Paschi di Siena BMPS.MI (afternoon).

TENARIS TENR.MI

Releases Q4 results.

OVS OVS.MI

Extraordinary shareholders meeting (0900 GMT).

DIARY

Rome, Israeli President Isaac Herzog on official visit to Italy meets President Sergio Mattarella (1100 GMT) and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (1530 GMT).

Rome, Chamber of Deputies Speaker Lorenzo Fontana meets Armenia President Alen Simonyan (1530 GMT).

Rome, swearing-in ceremony of the new judges of the Constitutional Court with Chamber of Deputies Speaker Lorenzo Fontana, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (0930 GMT).

Rome, Cabinet meeting (1100 GMT).

Rome, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso attends conference "Road safety: current events and future prospects for mobility" (1100 GMT).

Rome, Chamber of Deputies holds question time session with Industry Minister Adolfo Urso (1400 GMT).

Rome, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso attends news conference to present 3rd edition 'Futura EXPO' (1000 GMT).

Rome, conference "The challenge of artificial intelligence for construction: strategies and opportunities" with Cabinet Undersecretary for Technological Innovation Alessio Butti, builders' association ANCE President Federica Brancaccio, Economy Ministry Agency SACE CEO Alessandra Ricci (0930 GMT).

Milan, banking association ABI holds Executive Committee meeting (0800 GMT); Bank of Italy Governor Fabio Panetta attends via videoconference.

((Milan newsroom, e-mail: reutersitaly@thomsonreuters.com))

For Italian market data and news, click on codes in
brackets:

20 biggest gainers (in percentage).............PG.MI

20 biggest losers (in percentage)..............PL.MI

FTSE IT allshare index .FTITLMS

FTSE Mib index........ .FTMIB

FTSE Allstars index... .FTSTAR

FTSE Mid Cap index.... .FTITMC

Block trades.......... .BLK.MI

Stories on Italy...... IT-LEN

For pan-European market data and news, click on codes in
brackets:

European Equities speed guide...................EUR/EQUITY

FTSEurofirst 300 index...............................FTEU3

DJ STOXX index.......................................STOXX

Top 10 STOXX sectors............................PGL.STOXXS

Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors.......................PGL.STOXXES

Top 10 Eurofirst 300 sectors....................PGL.FTEU3S

Top 25 European pct gainers........................PG.PEUR

Top 25 European pct losers.........................PL.PEUR

Main stock markets:

Dow Jones................DJI Wall Street report ......N

Nikkei 225..............N225 Tokyo report.............T

FTSE 100................FTSE London report............L

Xetra DAX..............GDAXI Frankfurt market stories.F

CAC-40..................FCHI Paris market stories....PA

World Indices.....................................0#.INDEX

Reuters survey of world bourse outlook.........EQUITYPOLL1

Western European IPO diary..........................WEUIPO

European Asset Allocation........................EUR/ASSET

Reuters News at a Glance: Equities...............TOP/EQE

Main currency report:...............................FRX/