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 .

CORONAVIRUS

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 43 on Wednesday against 34 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new cases increased to 329 from 210 on Tuesday.

ECONOMY

ISTAT releases April foreign trade data (0800 GMT).

The European Union’s economic recovery plan after the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to secure backing from member states in July, helping the 27-nation bloc emerge from the recession together, EU Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn said on Wednesday.

DEBT

Italy’s Treasury buys back three BTP government bonds maturing October 15, 2020, October 21, 2020 and November 1, 2020.

COMPANIES

FIAT CHRYSLER

The proposed merger between the automaker and France’s Peugeot may harm competition in small vans in 14 EU countries and Britain, EU antitrust regulators said on Wednesday as they opened a four-month investigation into the deal.

Italy’s Treasury has taken a further step towards approving a state guarantee for a 6.3 billion euro loan for the carmaker’s Italian unit, a government source told Reuters on Wednesday.

Fiat Chrysler’s U.S. unit said on Wednesday it is meeting strong consumer demand and that several assembly plants in North America will not observe a summer shutdown.

ATLANTIA (*) Atlantia has accused the Italian government of breaching European law and called on Brussels to intervene in an escalating dispute with the government over the future of its concessions to operate roads and bridges, the Financial Times reported.

The co-ruling Democratic Party (PD) is not happy with the way Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is managing the dispute with Benetton-backed Atlantia over the concession of the group’s motorway unit, La Stampa said. According to Il Corriere della Sera the government wants the Benetton family to cut its stake to 49% while the state, through infrastructure fund F2i and state lender CDP, would take 51%. The paper, citing sources, said the 51% stake would be worth 5 billion euros. MF says a meeting of the government and ruling party representatives will be called soon to make a decision on the concession.

INTESA SANPAOLO, UBI BANCA

Representatives of the two banks are due to speak before antitrust authority on Intesa Sanpaolo’s takeover bid for UBI Banca (0800 GMT).

(*) BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA

The plan to split the lender into a good bank and a bad bank will be presented to the European Central Bank before the end of the month, MF said. The bank’s aim is to call an extraordinary shareholder meeting before the end of July and wrap up the deal to get 9.7 billion euros of non-performing loans off its books by October, the report added.

JUVENTUS FC

Napoli stunned Juventus 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw to claim the Coppa Italia on Wednesday.

It was the first title to be settled in the Italian season which has just restarted after a three-month hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BANCA POPOLARE DI SONDRIO

The bank completed the disposal of 1 billion euros bad loans portfolio.

(*) ASTALDI

The company said its 2019 revenues were 1.5 billion euros from 984.4 million euros. New orders for 2018-2020 were more than 2 billion euros and net debt was 2.3 bilion euros.

PIRELLI

Annual and extraordinary shareholders’ meetings (0830 GMT).

SNAM

Annual and extraordinary shareholders’ meetings (1000 GMT).

FINCANTIERI

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte speaks before the Giulio Regeni parliamentary committee on the sale to Egypt of two frigates built by the Italian state-controlled shipbuilder.

ALITALIA (not listed)

The name of Francesco Caio has emerged as one of the possible contenders for the job of CEO at the new Alitalia which would change its name to TAI (Trasporto Aereo Italiano), la Repubblica said.

The new Alitalia should be announced by the end of the week, with the Treasury expected to finalise the decree needed to create the airline’s new company, Il Messaggero reported. Representatives of Alitalia and carriers Air Dolomiti and Blue Panorama held a meeting in the past days to discuss collaborations, flight slots and code sharing, the report added.

DIARY

“MF AIM DAY ITALIA” web-conference “Less debt, more capital for small- and medium-sized companies. The role of AIM for the reconstruction of the Italian economy”, expected attendees include Ambromobiliare Chairman Alberto Gustavo Franceschini, Somec Chairman Oscar Marchetto, Neosperience CEO Dario Melpignano, Salcef CEO Valeriano Salciccia (0800 GMT).

Italian Insurance Supervisor IVASS presents annual report, President Daniele Franco gives speech (0830 GMT).

Oxford Economics holds webinar on “Pandemic, the future is now. What prospects for the Italian and global economy” (0830 GMT).

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