Italy - Factors to watch on August 3

The following factors could affect Italian markets on Monday.

Reuters has not verified the newspaper reports, and cannot vouch for their accuracy. New items are marked with (*).

POLITICS

Italy partially suspended passport-free Schengen travel arrangements with Spain for one month and pushed for a meeting of EU interior ministers following the influx of migrants in Ceuta. Spain accused Italy of using the crisis for domestic political consumption.

ECONOMY

July manufacturing PMI, expected 52.3 (0745 GMT).

Transport ministry releases July car registrations data. (1600 GMT)

DEBT

Treasury state sector balance for July.

COMPANIES

(*) PRYSMIAN PRY.MI

The cable maker said on Monday it agreed to acquire U.S.-based electrical products maker Atkore ATKR.N for $95 per share in cash, giving the company an implied enterprise value of around $3.8 billion.

BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI BMPS.MI, BANCO BPM BAMI.MI, INTESA SANPAOLO ISP.MI

(*) Monte dei Paschi di Siena is exploring alternative options to fend off Intesa Sanpaolo’s hostile takeover, including a potential takeover of Banco BPM, after talks over a "merger of equals" between the smaller lenders collapsed on Friday, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

Banco BPM on Friday abandoned efforts to seek a merger with rival Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, after stepping in to help it fend off a takeover bid by bigger peer Intesa Sanpaolo ISP.MI.

Banco BPM's main shareholder, France's Credit Agricole CAGR.PA, said earlier it saw no value in a tie-up between the two mid-sized banks and would prefer to combine its own Italian unit with Banco BPM.

La Stampa newspaper reported on Sunday that the government plans to sell its remaining stake in Monte dei Paschi by the end of September, before Intesa's takeover bid enters a crucial phase.

(*) MONTE DEI PASCHI, INTESA SANPAOLO ISP.MI, UNICREDIT CRDI.MI, UNIPOL UNPI.MI, BPER EMII.MI

Antitrust concerns over Intesa's bid for smaller rival Monte dei Paschi appear limited on the branch network front, while closer scrutiny is expected in the insurance business, la Repubblica's weekly supplement Affari & Finanza reported on Monday. The report said "only minor adjustments" are expected to the planned sale of 635 MPS branches to Unipol and BPER to comply market-share caps. The regulator could require safeguards to prevent information-sharing between Intesa and Generali GASI.MI on the insurance business, the paper said.

According to Il Corriere's weekly supplement L'Economia, Intesa Sanpaolo may sell 617 Monte dei Paschi branches to UniCredit, on top of the 635 branches it already plans to sell to Unipol.

(*) POSTE ITALIANE PST.MI

The financial conglomerate said on Friday its share buy-back programme would start on Monday.

(*) SAIPEM SPMI.MI

The oil service company said on Friday that all applicable waiting periods under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust law had expired for its planned merger with its Norwegian peer Subsea7 SUBC.OL and the companies are now allowed to complete the transaction in the United States.

LEONARDO LDOF.MI

The Italian defence group is continuing non-binding talks with Germany's Rheinmetall RHMG.DE on the possible sale of a part of recently acquired Iveco Defence Vehicles, top executives said on Friday.

TELECOM ITALIA TLIT.MI

Italy's data protection authority said on Friday it had fined the Italian phone group €9.52 million for several violations of privacy and telemarketing regulations.

(*) DANIELI DANI.MI

The Italian iron and steel plant-maker said on Friday it was contracted by France's GravitHy to proceed with initial basic engineering for a new green DR GravitHy plant, as part of a €3 billion investment.

(*) THE ITALIAN SEA GROUP

The yacht maker, undergoing insolvency proceedings, said on Monday it posted a net loss of €171 million in 2025 versus a €34 million profit a year earlier and would ask shareholders on September 30 to approve a capital increase of up to €150 million.

(*) JUVENTUS JUVE.MI

The Turin giants have signed Randal Kolo Muani from Paris St Germain, the two clubs announced on Sunday as the France forward returns to the Serie A side where he spent half a season on loan last year.

Juventus also signed Bosnia and Herzegovina winger Kerim Alajbegovic from Bayer Leverkusen for €30 million, the Serie A club said on Sunday.

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SFER.MI

Board meeting on first-half results, followed by conference call.

DIARY

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

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/