Italy govt may sell 8% stake in Monte Paschi in early October - paper

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury could sell an 8% stake in state-controlled bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) in the first ten days of October, the Il Messaggero newspaper reported on Wednesday.

According to the daily, which did not elaborate on its sources, the ministry has already picked Equita SIM as its advisor for the sale.

Italy owns 64% of the Tuscan bank following a 2017 bailout, which the European Union cleared at the time on condition the state aid is temporary.

Reuters first reported in May that the Treasury was open to selling down its MPS stake on the market if conditions were right.

Last week, two sources said the ministry was thinking of selling small blocks of shares given the absence of a buyer for the whole bank, while retaining majority ownership.

(Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Cristina Carlevaro)