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 IT/DIA.

POLITICS

Franco-British satellite operator Eutelsat ETL.PA, a rival to Starlink, is among companies that are in talks with the Italian government to provide systems for secure satellite communications, two sources close to the matter told Reuters.

ECONOMY

OECD releases February composite leading indicator data (1100 GMT).

DEBT

The closely-watched premium investors demand to hold Italy's 10-year bonds over Germany's fell below 100 basis points on Wednesday to its lowest since 2021 after German political parties backed a loosening of the country's debt brake.

COMPANIES

(*) LEONARDO LDOF.MI

CEO Roberto Cingolani is set to announce a partnership with Turkish drone maker Baykar for unmanned systems, as Reuters reported in January, in a press conference on Thursday, according to several newspapers.

(*) ACEA ACE.MI

French group Suez, currently the second largest shareholder, is considering selling its 23.33% stake in the Rome-based utility, MF reported on Thursday.

POSTE ITALIANE PST.MI, TELECOM ITALIA (TIM) TLIT.MI

Italy has shelved the sale of a stake in Poste Italiane while the postal and financial operator now works on how to revamp TIM, where it has become the second-largest shareholder, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.

Poste, which could look to raise its 9.8% stake in TIM in the next few months, wants at least one representative on the nine-strong TIM board and may also push for a reshuffle of the entire board, another two people separately said.

(*) POSTE ITALIANE

JP Morgan raised its rating on Thursday to 'overweight' from 'neutral' and raised the target price to 18.5 euros from 15.5 euros.

LOTTOMATICA LTMC.MI

(*) Gamma Intermediate, the group's single largest shareholder, on Thursday said it had completed the sale of 26 million Lottomatica shares, or 10.3% of the group's share capital, via an accelerated bookbuilding $(ABB)$ at 15.60 euros per share, with total gross proceeds of 405.6 million euros. Upon completion of the placement, Gamma will retain a stake of about 31.6%.

(*) MAIRE MTCM.MI

The Italian engineering group said on Thursday that its Nextchem unit has been awarded a three-year engineering and technology contract in Saudi Arabia by SATORP, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco 2223.SE and TotalEnergies TTEF.PA. No financial details were given.

ILLIMITY ILTY.MI

The digital bank on Wednesday said an additional value adjustment, for a gross amount of 53.5 million euros, needed to be considered in its preliminary full-year 2024 results due to a the potential outcome of legal proceedings affecting a senior note for a securitisation of a non-performing asset transformation transaction.

As a result, the group reported a loss of 38.4 million euros in 2024, with a CET 1 ratio of 13.9% and a total capital ratio of 17.8%, the bank said in a statement.

IREN IREE.MI

Metro Holding Torino, a subsidiary of the City of Turin, announced on Wednesday the launch of a reverse accelerated bookbuilding $(ABB.AU)$ for the purchase of up to 83 million euros worth of shares, at a price per share of no more than 2.228 euros, implying a premium of around 9%.

GEOX GEO.MI

The Italian shoemaker expects 2025 revenues falling by a low single-digit and adjusted EBIT to decrease by 80 basis points, it said on Wednesday, as it posted a 7.8% fall in 2024 sales, at current exchange rates.

SAIPEM SPMI.MI, ENI ENI.MI

The Italian energy services company and Divento, a consortium led by Eni's Plenitude, CDP and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, agreed on Wednesday to cooperate on floating offshore wind projects in Italy.

BANCO DESIO DESI.MI

S&P Global Ratings assigned it a 'BBB-' long-term issuer credit rating, with a stable outlook, the bank said on Wednesday.

AMPLIFON AMPF.MI

Releases FY results, followed by conference call (1400 GMT).

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SFER.MI

Releases FY results (FY revenues released on Jan. 30), followed by conference call (1700 GMT).

AZIMUT HOLDING AZMT.MI

Releases FY results.

BANCA GENERALI BGN.MI

Releases FY results (preliminary results released on Feb. 10).

MITTEL MTTI.MI

First of two-day suspension from negotiation ahead of de-listing on March 10.

DIARY

Brussels, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends special European Council dedicated to European defence and Ukraine.

Rome, Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani holds news conference (1030 GMT).

Rome, CyberSEC2025 event "AI, post-quantum cryptography, espionage and geopolitics: the new world of cybersecurity" (0800 GMT); on Thursday expected attendees include Digital Italy Agency (AgID) Director General.

Rome, conference on "Today, for the Italy of the future. Third Annual Meeting for the Sustainable Development of the Regions" with state-owned lender agency Cassa Depositi e Prestiti $(CDP)$ Chairman Giovanni Gorno Tempini, CDP CEO Dario Scannapieco (0900 GMT).

Milan, Ferrari RACE.MI Formula One team and UniCredit CRDI.MI hold event with Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna, Unicredit CEO Andrea Orcel, Ferrari Formula One drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton (1500 GMT).

Calvisano, inauguration ceremony of new water purifier with A2A A2.MI CEO Renato Mazzoncini (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

Xetra DAX..............GDAXI Frankfurt market stories.F

CAC-40..................FCHI Paris market stories....PA

World Indices.....................................0#.INDEX

Reuters survey of world bourse outlook.........EQUITYPOLL1

Western European IPO diary..........................WEUIPO

European Asset Allocation........................EUR/ASSET

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

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