Italy - Factors to watch on February 18

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

Italy's opposition groups criticised a government plan to attend the inaugural meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace this week, saying on Tuesday that the body undermined the United Nations and ran counter to international law.

ECONOMY

Italian banks should help the government fund a package of measures aimed at cutting energy bills, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Tuesday.

COMPANIES

BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA BMPS.MI, MEDIOBANCA MDBI.MI

The Italian lender will take full control of Mediobanca and delist it while preserving its brand, ending weeks of uncertainty over the future of the merchant bank.

(*) ENI ENI.MI

The Italian energy major is weighing a return to oil and gas trading as it seeks the outsized returns enjoyed by BP BP.L, Shell SHEL.L and TotalEnergies TTEF.PA as geopolitical tensions fuel energy price volatility, CEO Claudio Descalzi told the Financial Times in an interview published on Wednesday.

BANCO BPM BAMI.MI

The European Central Bank has given its green light to proposed changes to Banco BPM's bylaws, the Italian lender said on Tuesday, a decision that will increase the number of seats reserved for minority shareholders and could potentially strengthen the presence of France's Crédit Agricole CAGR.PA on Banco BPM's board.

(*) Credit Agricole, Banco BPM's largest shareholder with a 20.1% stake, has decided to put forward its own minority slate of board candidates, daily Il Messaggero reported on Wednesday, adding that the Italian asset manager association Assogestioni may also submit its own list.

(*) EDISON EDNn.MI

The Italian unit of French nuclear operator EDF aims to lift its core earnings to 1.7-1.9 billion euros by 2030 as it rolls out renewables and develops green gases, the utility said on Wednesday. It reported a 2025 core profit of 1.31 billion euros ($1.55 billion), down from 1.71 billion euros in 2024 but in line with its guidance.

A conference call on full-year results is scheduled for 0800 GMT.

(*) SNAM SRG.MI

Goldman Sachs on Wednesday raised the gas grid operator's rating to 'buy' from 'neutral'.

RECORDATI RECI.MI

The Italian drug maker forecasted on Tuesday a 2026 core profit (EBITDA) between 995 million euros and 1.03 billion euros ($1.18-1.22 billion), after its 2025 results were boosted by its rare diseases segment.

Conference call on preliminary FY results at 1300 GMT.

JUVENTUS JUVE.MI

Galatasaray secured a commanding 5-2 victory over 10-man Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League playoff on Tuesday.

BRUNELLO CUCINELLI BCU.MI

Releases full year results - preliminary results released on January 12 - followed by conference call at 1700 GMT.

DIARY

Rome, ECB board member Piero Cipollone attends banking association ABI Executive Committee meeting (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

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

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