Italy - Factors to watch on February 23

The following factors could affect Italian markets on Monday.

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.

ECONOMY

ISTAT releases January CPI final data (0900 GMT).

DEBT

Treasury announces sale of BTP and CCTeu bonds, with relative amounts to be auctioned on February 26.

Treasury said on Friday it would sell 4.5 bln euros in BOT bills at auction on Feb 25.

ENERGY

Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR has secured the Italian government's approval to buy Italiana Petroli, a parliamentary document showed, overcoming a key regulatory hurdle in its plan to take over one of Italy's largest petrol station networks.

The Italian government cleared the deal on February 18, by imposing some unspecified conditions, the document said.

COMPANIES

MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA BMPS.MI

The Tuscan bank on Friday approved a preliminary list of candidates for the board's renewal, including among nominees the current CEO and chairman, who are both seeking a new term, two people close to the matter said. The initial list of 30 names, to be cut by one third, includes also veteran banker Corrado Passera, utility ACEA ACE.MI CEO Fabrizio Palermo and former UniCredit executive Carlo Vivaldi, the people said.

ENEL ENEI.MI

The utility holds its 2026 'Capital Markets Day' in Milan on Monday (1000 CET) to present its strategic plan for 2026–2028.

Enel said on Sunday it had approved the launch of a new share buyback programme worth up to 1 billion euros - or maximum 150 million shares, equivalent to 1.48% of the company's share capital.

It also approved debt refinancing transactions worth up to 12 billion euros to be carried out by March 31, 2027.

Enel said on Saturday it had signed agreements with Excelsior Energy Capital to buy an 830‑MW portfolio of wind and solar assets in the United States for about 1 billion dollar. The deal is expected to add some 125 million euros a year to the group’s consolidated core profit once fully operational.

SAFILO SFLG.MI

The eyewear maker said on Friday it had purchased additional shares in Inspecs Group SPECI.L amounting to around 5% of the British peer's capital, raising its stake in the company to 29.99%.

JUVENTUS JUVE.MI

The Turin-based club slumped to a surprise 2-0 home defeat to Como in Serie A on Saturday, hurting its hopes of a Champions' League slot next season.

LAZIO LAZI.MI

The Rome-based club on Friday "categorically denied" rumours over a potential sale of the company, saying it had not received any offer or expression of interest and warning of the risk of market manipulation.

Lazio drew 0-0 away to Cagliari on Saturday, leaving it around mid-table in Serie A.

BANCO BPM BAMI.MI

Extraordinary shareholders' meeting in Milan to approve changes to the bank's by-laws (0900 GMT).

BFF BANK BFF.MI

Morningstar DBRS on Friday said it had lowered the specialist lender's long-term debt rating to BB from BB (high), changing the trend to negative from stable, in light of the recent top management changes, the cut to financial targets, news of a criminal probe for alleged false accounting and the restatement of 2024 earnings.

((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/