Italy - Factors to watch on Dec. 1

The following factors could affect Italian markets on Thursday.

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 Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has asked Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti to fire Dario Scannapieco, the current chief executive of state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), over disagreements on the strategy for TIM, La Repubblica wrote on Thursday, citing unspecified "well informed sources". CDP sources strongly deny this, the paper added.

ENERGY

Italy is working with banks to unlock financing for a Lukoil-owned refinery in Sicily while also considering direct state intervention to keep the Russian energy giant's plant running, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso said on Wednesday.

Italy's government and Finnish engineering group Wartsila have signed an agreement to ensure production and preserve jobs at the company's plant in the north-east of Italy, the industry ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

ECONOMY

S&P Global releases November PMI manufacturing data (0845 GMT).

ISTAT releases October unemployment rate data (0900 GMT).

Transport Ministry releases November car sales data (1700 GMT).

November state sector borrowing requirement data.

COMPANIES

(*) UNICREDIT

The lender said on Thursday it had bought back 4.3% of its share capital under the second tranche of its 2021 buyback programme.

JUVENTUS

The Serie A soccer club, facing scrutiny over its financial accounts, said on Wednesday that it did not believe it had done anything wrong and would defend its interests in all forums. The club's main shareholder, Exor, said that the loss-making club would not need a fresh cash injection.

ENI

Italian energy group is in preliminary talks to buy private-equity backed gas-and-oil producer Neptune Energy for around $5 billion -$6 billion, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, adding that no official bid had been submitted.

Plenitude, Eni's renewable energy unit, is expected to announce a deal to buy wind and solar developer PLT Energia in the coming days, two sources close to the matter said on Wednesday. The deal could be worth more than 500 million euros ($515.00 million), one of the sources said.

CNH

(*) The farming and construction machine maker said on Thursday it would halt sales of construction equipment in China as of December 31.

Exor CEO John Elkann said that moving from double to single listing for CNH Industrial does not mean taking it private.

TELECOM ITALIA (TIM)

(*) TIM's directors have picked Giulio Gallazzi to fill a vacant seat on the former phone monopoly's board, the company said on Wednesday, confirming what sources had told Reuters.

The Italian telecoms group said on Wednesday it was open to dialogue with Italy's government on solutions for its fixed line network assets, while assessing 'all strategic options'.

(*) SECO

The Italian high-tech company's order deliveries have been impacted by supply chain issues this year, Chief Executive Massimo Mauri told la Verità daily, adding that 2023 would be an "equally difficult year".

(*) M&A, ITA AIRWAYS

Lufthansa representatives will have talks on Friday with Italy's economy minister over the sale of ITA Airways, with the Italian side hoping to close a deal before the end of the year, Il Sole 24 Ore reported on Thursday.

DIARY

Rome, Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini speaks before Chamber of Deputies Environment and Transport committees on guidelines of his ministry (0930 GMT).

Rome, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini speaks before Senate Environment Committee on policy lines of his ministry (0700 GMT).

Rome, Cabinet meeting expected on law decree on Ischia island and possibly on extending arms supplies to Ukraine throughout 2023.

Rome, 5th edition "5G Italy: towards telecommunications of the future" ends (0745 GMT); on Thursday expected attendees include Industry Minister Adolfo Urso (0815 GMT); INWIT Director General Diego Galli and European Affairs and PNRR Minister Raffaele Fitto (0930 GMT); Cabinet representative for Golden Power Bernardo Argiolas (1015 GMT); ZTE Italian unit CEO Hu Kun (1210 GMT); Personal Data Protection Supervisor member Agostino Ghiglia and member of Cabinet European Data Protection Supervisor Anna Colaps (1400 GMT); Infrastructure ministry representative Mario Nobile and state railways Ferrovie dello Stato representative Roberto Tundo (1515 GMT); Markus Reinisch from Meta (1650 GMT).

Rome, "The coming recession" event in presence and online (0900 GMT); expected attendees include banking association ABI President Antonio Patuelli (0900 GMT); EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni gives speech "Challenges and prospects for Europe" (0910 GMT); at panel "Economic policy: investment and planning for the future" state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) CEO Dario Scannapieco, Acciaierie d'Italia Chairman Franco Bernabè (1000 GMT); Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti gives speech "Priorities agenda"; at panel "Recovery: the Southern Italy as a lever for development" with Invitalia CEO Bernardo Mattarella (1030 GMT); at panel "Networks: where economic growth goes" Terna CEO Stefano Antonio Donnarumma, Atlantia Chairman Giampiero Massolo (1100 GMT).

Rome, Centro Economia Digitale presents report "Grow together" with Industry Minister Adolfo Urso, EU Affairs, South and PNRR Minister Raffaele Fitto, Dario Pagani from Eni , Enel Italian Director Nicola Lanzetta, Open Fiber CEO Mario Rossetti, Tinexta CEO Pier Andrea Chevallard, Enrico Savio from Leonardo, Claudio Ongaro from Telecom Italia (TIM) (1000 GMT).

San Domenico di Fiesole, ECB board member Philip Lane gives speech at European University Institute (EUI) an Banque de France conference "Headwinds: upcoming macroeconomic risks" (1645 GMT).

For Italian market data and news, click on codes in brackets:

20 biggest gainers (in percentage)............

20 biggest losers (in percentage).............

FTSE IT allshare index

FTSE Mib index........

FTSE Allstars index...

FTSE Mid Cap index....

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

Stories on Italy...... <IT-LEN>

For pan-European market data and news, click on codes in brackets: European Equities speed guide................... FTSEurofirst 300 index.............................. DJ STOXX index...................................... Top 10 STOXX sectors........................... Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors...................... Top 10 Eurofirst 300 sectors................... Top 25 European pct gainers....................... Top 25 European pct losers........................ Main stock markets: Dow Jones............... Wall Street report ..... Nikkei 225............. Tokyo report............ FTSE 100............... London report........... Xetra DAX............. Frankfurt market stories CAC-40................. Paris market stories... World Indices..................................... Reuters survey of world bourse outlook......... Western European IPO diary.......................... European Asset Allocation........................ Reuters News at a Glance: Equities............... Main currency report:...............................