Italy - Factors to watch on March 9

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 .

POLITICS

Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday called for politicians to act responsibly as they jockey to form a government after the inconclusive March 4 election.

DEBT

Italy's Treasury said it would offer 7.25-8.75 billion euros in bonds at auction on March 13, including a new seven-year bond with a 1.45 percent coupon.

ECONOMY

Bank of Italy releases January data on bank lending and domestic government bond holdings at Italy-based banks.

COMPANIES

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

Ferragamo will take the time needed to find a new chief executive to help turnaround the Italian shoemaker, its chairman said on Thursday, ruling out a sale of the company.

CREVAL

Investors took up 83 percent of a 700 million euro ($862 million) new share sale by Italy's Credito Valtellinese, helping the mid-sized lender's efforts to shed bad debts and restructure.

As pledged, top shareholder Denis Dumont has bought into the capital increase to keep a 5.1 percent stake, Radiocor news agency reported quoting financial sources.

(*) ATLANTIA, ABERTIS, CELLNEX

The Benetton family, which controls Atlantia, could be interested in buying telecom masts company Cellnex from Spain's Abertis if Atlantia and ACS will agree a break-up of the Spanish toll-road company, Il Sole 24 Ore reported citing sources.

(*) TELECOM ITALIA

Elliott holds a potential stake of between 10 and 14 percent of Telecom Italia when considering, in addition to ordinary shares, also options and other derivatives, MF reported.

Activist fund Elliott is putting together a slate of candidates for Telecom Italia's board, Corriere said, adding the first name on the list will be the one of former Enel CEO Fulvio Conti.

Elliott's plan is to merge Telecom Italia's fixed-line network, which the group is spinning off into a separate company, with fibre-optic group Enel Open Fiber, Il Messaggero reported.

U.S. fund Citadel has bought Telecom Italia shares to join forces with Elliott at the phone group's shareholder meeting and ask for the revocation of seven directors appointed by France's Vivendi, la Repubblica reported. The newspaper also reported that Elliott is against a bonus scheme for Telecom Italia's managers prepared by CEO Amos Genish.

(*) ENI

Eni and Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), a spin-out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have signed an agreement that will allow Eni to acquire an equity stake in CFS, the energy group said. Eni will support CFS to develop the first commercial power plant producing energy by fusion, a safe, sustainable, virtually inexhaustible source without any emission of pollutants and greenhouse gases.

(*) IREN

The regional utility is looking at 20 different possible acquisitions for small and medium companies in the sector, its CEO said, according to Il Sole 24 Ore.

BANCA CARIGE

Shareholder Raffaele Mincione plans to boost his stake in the Italian lender from 5.4 percent and ask for the current board to be removed after he was denied a seat, two sources familiar with the matter said.

MEDIOBANCA

Independent board member Cesar Alierta has stepped down, the Milanese merchant bank said on Thursday.

BANCA PROFILO

The Italian private bank said on Thursday it would pay 0.5 euros a share as dividend over its 2017 results.

KOLINPHARMA

Debuts on AIM segment and holds listing ceremony (0730 GMT).

PRADA

Board meeting on FY results, followed by conference call (1300 GMT).

EPRICE

Conference call on FY results (1100 GMT).

CAPITAL FOR PROGRESS 2

Board meeting on FY results.

GIMA TT

Board meeting on FY results (preliminary FY results on Feb. 8).

MOLMED

Board meeting on FY results.

OPENJOBMETIS

Board meeting on FY results.

TAMBURI INVESTMENT PARTNERS

Board meeting on FY results.

VIANINI

Board meeting on FY results.

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FTSE IT allshare index

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FTSE Mid Cap index....

Block trades..........

Stories on Italy...... (IT-LEN)

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