Italy - Factors to watch on April 16

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.

POLITICS

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is heading to the White House for a meeting on Thursday with President Donald Trump, seeking to ease tensions over U.S. tariffs on European goods and position herself as a bridge between Washington and Brussels.

(*) President Sergio Mattarella was hospitalised in Rome on Tuesday for a scheduled heart operation to install a pacemaker, his office said. Meloni and other political leaders wished him a speedy recovery.

ECONOMY

ISTAT releases March CPI final data (0800 GMT).

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

COMPANIES

(*) UNICREDIT CRDI.MI, BANCO BPM BAMI.MI

Italy's government is likely to set out conditions for UniCredit's proposed takeover of smaller rival Banco BPM BAMI.MI this week, including a request to leave Russia "as soon as possible", Il Messaggero reported on Wednesday.

MONTE DEI PASCHI (MPS) BMPS.MI, MEDIOBANCA MDBI.MI

Two shareholders in Italy's Monte dei Paschi (MPS) BMPS.MI, holding a total stake of 9%, will back a share issue proposed by the bank to fund its hostile bid for rival Mediobanca MDBI.MI.

Banco BPM, which holds a 5% stake in MPS, said it would vote in favour of issuing the necessary MPS shares in a vote scheduled on April 17. Separately, two sources said Anima, with a 4% shareholding, would vote in the same way.

(*) GENERALI GASI.MI

The Italian lawyers' pension fund, the Cassa Forense, has over the last three years gradually increased its stake in the insurance group by 0.25%, to 1.25%, MF daily reported on Wednesday.

STELLANTIS STLAM.MI

Chairman John Elkann said on Tuesday U.S. tariffs and strict European Union emissions standards were threatening the industry, as the automaker continued its search for a new chief executive.

TERNA TRN.MI

S&P Global Ratings on Tuesday upgraded the power grid operator's long-term rating at 'A-' from the previous 'BBB+', with a stable outlook.

BRUNELLO CUCINELLI BCU.MI

Q1 results releases (revenues), followed by conference call (1600 GMT.

MONCLER MONC.MI

Annual general meeting (0800 GMT); Q1 results releases followed by conference call (1630 GMT).

MFE-MEDIAFOREUROPE MFEB.MI

Board meeting on FY results, followed by conference call (1600 GMT).

Annual general meetings: CAMPARI GROUP CPRI.MI (0730 GMT), FERRARI NV RACE.MI (0700 GMT), BANCA MEDIOLANUM BMED.MI(0800 GMT), IVECO GROUP IVG.MI (1000 GMT), PRYSMIAN PRY.MI (annual and extraordinary shareholders' meetings, 1230 GMT), SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SFER.MI (annual and extraordinary shareholders' meetings, 0730 GMT).

DIARY

Rome, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini delivers closing address at railway logistics sector association Federmerci annual meeting (1400 GMT).

Rome, trade association Confcommercio and The European House Ambrosetti end 23rd forum "Market players and scenarios for the 2000s" (0830 GMT); on Wednesday expected attendees include Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso; Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expected to deliver closing address.

Rome, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso and welfare institute INPS President Gabriele Fava attend event "Impact Finance and Economic Civilisation", part of Earth Day celebrations (1300 GMT).

Rome, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso attends annual meeting by business lobby Confindustria tourism unit Federturismo (0800 GMT); gives speech at event "Roots and the future: Made in Italy between art and business" (1630 GMT).

Rome, Cabinet Undersecretary Alessio Butti attends Brothers of Italy party event on digital information (0800 GMT).

Prato, European Affairs and National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) Minister Tommaso Foti attends conference "The Italian fashion of the future; between agriculture, research, innovation and sustainability" (0900 GMT).

((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/