REFILE-Italy - Factors to watch on March 30

Reuters

(removes reference to expected announcement of 2015 gas and electricity tariffs as these were released on Friday) 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 (*). For a complete list of diary events in Italy please click on . ECONOMY Italy will probably nudge its forecast for economic growth this year up to 0.7 percent from 0.6 percent when it issues new economic and public finance projections next month, a senior minister said on Saturday. * Deputy Economy Minister Enrico Morando told daily La Stampa on Monday the 2015 growth forecast would be revised to 0.8 percent. ISTAT releases March business and consumer confidence data (0800 GMT). TREASURY Treasury sells 2.0-3.0 billion euros new CCTEU bonds due June 15, 2022; 1.5-2.0 billion euros ninth tranche 5-year BTP bonds due Dec. 1, 2019, at 1.05 percent coupon; 2.0-2.5 billion euros third tranche 10-year BTP bonds due June 1, 2025, at 1.50 percent coupon. Subscriptions close at 0900 GMT. COMPANIES WORLD DUTY FREE * Dufry plans to raise around 3.6 billion euros ($3.91 billion) through a mixture of debt and equity financing for its planned takeover of Italy's World Duty Free, Dufry said on Monday. It said it had secured equity investment commitments from Qatar Investment Authority as well as Singapore funds GIC and Temasek for up to 450 million Swiss francs each. Switzerland's Dufry has agreed to buy a majority stake in World Duty Free in a deal which values the Italian firm at 3.6 billion euros and will make the combined group the world's biggest travel retailer. Qatar Investment Authority is partly financing Dufry's 1.3 billion-euro purchase of a majority stake in smaller Italian rival World Duty Free, according to three sources close to the matter. PIRELLI The chairman of China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina) said on Sunday he hopes to re-list Italy's Pirelli on the Italian stock exchange after his firm agreed earlier this month to acquire the world's fifth-largest tyre maker. * In an interview with Corriere della Sera on Monday said a counterbid without the backing of Pirelli's management would not succeed. ITALIAN BANKS Italian banks are struggling to sell billions of euros of bad debts, making it hard for them to support new lending and help the country leave behind a three-year recession. The Bank of Italy and the European Central Bank are pressing for another round of cash calls to go in parallel with a wave of expected mergers among Italian banks, Il Messaggero said on Sunday, forecasting capital increases for 10 billion euros in the next three years on top of those already announced by Monte dei Paschi di Siena and Carige. It said talk of a merger between Veneto Banca and Popolare Vicenza was cooling down as bank supervisors did not think it would create value. Popolare dell'Emilia Romagna has emerged as a possible suitor for Veneto Banca. Banca Popolare di Milano in turn is being eyed by Banco Popolare as well as by BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole. The ECB would instead favour Santander and BNP for Monte dei Paschi or - in case of an Italian solution - a three-way merger involving UBI and Banco Popolare , it said, adding the merger wave should start in about a month. * PRADA The luxury goods company reported its first drop in annual net profit since it listed in Hong Kong four years ago, as growing retail sales in the Americas and Japan failed to offset declines in Greater China and Europe. * YOOX The Italian online fashion retailer could unveil a deal to buy Richemont's Net-a-Porter as early as this week, sources close to the matter told Reuters at the weekend. BANCA POPOLARE DI SPOLETO Annual and extraordinary shareholders' meeting (1030 GMT). BUZZI UNICEM Conference call on FY results (0730 GMT). EDISON Saving shareholders' meeting (1330 GMT). PRADA Expected to release FY results. RETELIT Board meeting to approve 2015-2017 industrial plan. AGRONOMIA Board meeting on FY results. AMBROMOBILIARE Board meeting on FY results. BIO ON Board meeting on FY results. ENERGY LAB Board meeting on FY results. EUKEDOS Board meeting on FY results. FRENDY ENERGY Board meeting on FY results. GALA Board meeting on FY results. GAS PLUS Board meeting on FY results. GREENITALY1 Board meeting on FY results. K.R.ENERGY Board meeting on FY results. MAILUP Board meeting on FY results (also to approve internationalization plan). MC-LINK Board meeting on FY results. MICROSPORE Board meeting on FY results. MOBYT Board meeting on FY results. PRIMI SUI MOTORI Board meeting on FY results. ROSETTI MARINO Board meeting on FY results. ROSSS Board meeting on FY results. SOL Board meeting on FY results. TECNOINVESTIMENTI Board meeting on FY results. TRIBOO MEDIA Board meeting on FY results. 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.... 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