Italy - Factors to watch on April 7

BFF Bank SpA

07/04/2026 05:00

The following factors could affect Italian markets on Tuesday.

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

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni flew to Saudi Arabia on Friday for a previously unannounced trip that also included meetings in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, a government official said on Friday.

Italy confirmed the intention of its majors - including energy giant Eni ENI.MI - to keep investing in the Gulf.

Italy's culture undersecretary Gianmarco Mazzi was sworn in on Friday as the country's new tourism minister, the latest change in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government after her defeat in a referendum on judicial reform.

ECONOMY

The Italian economy will grow by 0.6% this year and 0.5% in 2027, the country's central bank said in a report on Friday, cutting its previous estimates while also hiking forecasts for the inflation rate.

The European Union will inevitably consider easing its budget deficit rules if the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran continues to drive up energy costs for families and businesses, Italy's economy minister said on Friday.

Italy posted a budget deficit of 3.1% of gross domestic product last year, national statistics bureau ISTAT reported on Friday, confirming previous data issued last month.

Publication of S&P Global's Italian March purchasing managers index (PMI) for the service sector (0745 GMT)

DEBT

Treasury announces sale of 12-month BOT bills, with relative amounts to be auctioned on April 9.

ENERGY

ENI ENI.MI, ENEL ENEI.MI

Five European Union countries are calling for a windfall tax on energy companies' profits in reaction to rising fuel prices due to the Iran war, according to a letter from finance ministers to the EU Commission seen by Reuters on Saturday.

Italy will begin receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Golden Pass LNG facility in the United States, a joint venture between QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil XOM.N, from June, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

COMPANIES

MONTE DEI PASCHI BMPS.MI, ACEA ACE.MI

Leading proxy adviser Glass Lewis on Friday urged shareholders in Monte dei Paschi di Siena to back a slate of board candidates proposing to name Fabrizio Palermo, the current CEO of utility Acea, as chief executive on April 15.

(*) In a rebuttal letter to Glass Lewis, Investor PLT Holding, which is proposing CEO Lovaglio for another term, highlighted  a number of contradictions in the proxy adviser's arguments, which it said called into question its recommendation.

Italy's Treasury has registered for a shareholder meeting on April 15 that will pick the bank's new board and CEO though it intends to abstain in the vote, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The Treasury retains a near 5% stake in the bailed-out lender following its re-privatisation.

(*) Initial feedback from major funds has been positive during the roadshow the outgoing board is holding with Italian and foreign investors, Corriere della Sera reported on Tuesday, adding that shareholders backing the board's slate could reach 24% of the bank's share capital. The bank has called an extraordinary board meeting for today to deal with formal requirements and legal issues ahead of the shareholders' meeting, Corriere added.

(*) Delfin, the bank's largest shareholder with a 17.5% stake, will attend the upcoming shareholders' meeting, Il Sole 24 Ore reported on Tuesday, after the holding company of Del Vecchio's heirs had initially considered not taking part due to criticism over certain choices, including that of excluding outgoing CEO Luigi Lovaglio from the board's slate.

ENI ENI.MI

The energy group said on Thursday it had approved the fourth tranche of its 2025 dividend replacement at 0.27 euros per share, payable on May 20.

SNAM SRG.MI

Moody's on Friday lifted its credit rating on the Italian energy infrastructure company to Baa1, with a stable outlook.

LEONARDO LDOF.MI

The state-controlled defence and aerospace group's CEO Roberto Cingolani is unlikely to be given another term when his current mandate expires in May, newspapers Il Fatto Quotidiano and Repubblica reported on Saturday, citing unnamed government sources.

The possible candidates to lead Leonardo are current Fincantieri FCT.MI CEO Piergiorgio Folgiero, Stefano Donnarumma - the CEO of state-owned railways company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) - Alessandro Ercolani - the head of Rheinmetall RHMG.DE Italy - and Lorenzo Mariani, a former Leonardo manager who is now Managing Director of MBDA Italia, according to la Repubblica.

  (*) Mariani is the leading candidate, La Stampa and La repubblica reported on Tuesday.

(*) FINCANTIERI FCT.MI

Jefferies on Tuesday raised the rating of the shipbuilder to 'buy' from 'hold', and raised the target price to 19 euros from 18.10 euros.

(*) M&A-PHARMA

Pharmaceutical group Alfasigma is open to a minority financial investor, "which will allow us to expand further and give us more strength, but they have to be aligned to our strategy", the company's chairman, Stefano Golinelli, was quoted as saying in Corriere della Sera's L'economia supplement, published on Tuesday.

(*) NEWPRINCES NWLF.MI

The food and beverage company said in a statement on Tuesday it had decided to significantly accelerate its share buyback programme, "in light of the current share price valuation and the Group's strong financial position". "Management believes that current market levels do not fully reflect the Group’s intrinsic value," it added.

AVIO AVI.MI

The launch of the scientific satellite Smile aboard mission VV29 of the Italian Vega C launcher produced by Avio has been postponed due to a technical issue occurred on a subsystem component production line, the Italian rocket maker said on Sunday.

A2A A2.MI

The Italian utility said on Saturday that its main shareholders, the municipalities of Milan and Brescia, had nominated current CEO Renato Mazzoncini and Chairman Roberto Tasca to serve new terms.

Shareholders will meet on April 28 and 29 to vote on the appointments.

FERRETTI YACHT.MI

The Italian yacht maker said late on Thursday its board considers a sweetened offer by Czech investment firm KKCG Maritime "not fair or reasonable" for independent shareholders.

INWIT INWT.MI

The mobile telecoms towers company reported on Thursday a 4% rise in its annual revenues to 1.08 billion euros ($1.25 billion), in line with a company-provided analysts' consensus.

BFF BANK BFF.MI

The Italian bank said late on Thursday that Morningstar DBRS had downgraded its long-term issuer rating to BB (Low) from BB.

JUVENTUS JUVE.MI

The Turin team beat Genoa 2-0 at home on Sunday.

LAZIO LAZI.MI

The Rome-based team drew 1–1 at home against Parma on Saturday.

DIARY

Rome, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto addresses Chamber of Deputies on U.S. military bases in Italy (1400 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/