Italy - Factors to watch on March 28

The following factors could affect Italian markets on Friday.

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.

POLITICS

Leaders who gathered in Paris on Thursday to discuss support for Ukraine talked about the United Nations playing a possible role in an eventual ceasefire deal with Russia, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said.

The statement said there was a consensus emerging "in line with the Italian government's position."

(*) The leaders vowed to strengthen Kyiv's army to ensure it was the cornerstone of future security in Ukraine, while France and Britain tried to expand support for a planned foreign "reassurance force" in the event of a truce with Russia.

(*) Meloni dismissed as "childish" and superficial the idea that Italy would have to choose between US President Donald Trump and Europe, in an interview with the Financial Times published on Friday, adding she would work to avoid confrontation between the two sides while doing whatever necessary to defend her country's interest.

ECONOMY

Italy is proving unable to accelerate its spending of European Union COVID-19 recovery funds, with the latest government data showing it has invested roughly half of the money it has secured so far.

ISTAT releases March consumer and business confidence data (0900 GMT); January industry sales data (1000 GMT); February producer prices data (1100 GMT).

DEBT

Treasury sells BTP and CCTeu bonds. Subscriptions close at 1000 GMT.

COMPANIES

UNICREDIT CRDI.MI

Shareholders in the Italian bank on Thursday approved the pay policy for this year and the last, including hefty increases for CEO Andrea Orcel, shrugging off recommendations by leading governance advisers to reject the proposals.

BANCO BPM BAMI.MI

The Italian bank said on Thursday it intended to proceed with its bid for fund manager Anima Holding ANIM.MI despite the European Central Bank's stance on capital treatment that makes the deal more costly.

UNIPOL UNPI.MI

(*) The financial group aims to make a total net profit of 3.8 billion euros ($4.1 billion) over the next three years as it invests in technology and bancassurance to bolster its core insurance business.

Presentation of the strategic plan at 0930 GMT, news conference to follow.

(*) POSTE ITALIANE PST.MI, TELECOM ITALIA (TIM) TLIT.MI

The postal services group will soon enter the final stages of negotiations with Vivendi VIV.PA to buy another stake in TIM worth 10-14% from the French group, Il Giornale reported on Friday. This would leave Vivendi with a minority shareholding of 4-5% and Poste would up its stake to 24%, it added. Separately, Il Sole 24 reported a deal could be clinched before the summer.

STELLANTIS STLAM.MI

John Elkann, the chairman of the Franco-Italian automaker, voiced concerns on Thursday over the impact on the sector of 25% U.S. tariffs.

FERRARI RACE.MI

The Italian luxury carmaker said on Thursday it planned to increase the prices of some of its cars sold in the United States in response to new tariffs. Ferrari added that it would stick largely to its financial targets for this year.

(*) Barclays on Friday raised the shares to 'overweight' from 'equal-weight'.

PIRELLI PIRC.MI

The Italian tyremaker has postponed to April 28 the conclusions of its board meeting which had been scheduled to end on Thursday, amid protracted tensions between leading investors.

(*) STMICROELECTRONICS STMMI.MI, NEXI NEXII.MI

Top Economy Ministry official Marcello Sala is due to join the supervisory board of STMicroelectronics and is also among the candidates for the chairmanship of Nexi.

(*) ERG ERG.MI

The Italian renewables group said on Friday it had won three public tenders in Germany to build and operate three wind farms with a total capacity of 40 MW.

BUZZI BZU.MI

Releases FY results (preliminary FY results released on Feb. 7).

GIBUS GBUSS.MI

Terra Holding Srl ends full voluntary takeover offer on Gibus shares (started on March 10).

DIARY

Rome, Polish President Andrzej Duda meets Italian President Sergio Mattarella (1200 GMT) and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (1430 GMT).

Catania, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso convenes meeting on STMicroelectronics with representatives from the company, region, municipality, and trade unions.

((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

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/