News: FCT Italy - Factors to watch on Dec. 18

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 (*) The European Commission has asked Italy for a further 2.5 billion euros-3 billion euros in savings before approving the country's 2019 budget, Corriere della Sera daily reported on Tuesday. (*) The European Union is trying to find a solution to Italy's budget problems in order to avoid a sanctions procedure, European Economic Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said on Tuesday.

Italy said it hoped to clinch a deal with the European Commission later on Monday on its contested 2019 budget, hours after the government sent an amended version to Brussels.

DEBT Italy treasury repurchases 350 million euros of two CCTeu notes.

COMPANIES (*) UNICREDIT CRDI.MI

British hedge fund Caius has made a payment to UniCredit to settle a dispute over complex financial instruments which Italy's biggest bank counts towards its core capital, the two companies said. (*) FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES FCHA.MI

The latest version of the measures to spur sales of green cars sets a limit of 155 grams of carbon dioxide per km to tax polluting vehicles, Il Sole 24 Ore reported, adding the government was also considering limiting incentives to cars that cost up to 40,000 euros.

TELECOM ITALIA TLIT.MI The Italian government does not want to raise its stake, via state-lender CDP, in Telecom Italia, Deputy PM Luigi Di Maio said on Monday.

Activist fund Elliott is studying whether to increase its stake in Telecom Italia to 10 percent from 8.8 percent, MF said. The newspaper cited rumours investor Andrea Bonomi was also buying shares. (*) SALINI IMPREGILO SALI.MI , FINCANTIERI FCT.MI

The consortium comprising Salini and Fincantieri have won the race to rebuild the Genoa bridge, Il Messaggero said, saying an announcement would be made on Tuesday. Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli declined to comment when asked to confirm in a radio interview. A decision will be announced by Special Commissioner and Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci later on Tuesday.

(*) BANCA POPOLARE DI SONDRIO BPSI.MI The regional lender has mandated advisers Oliver Wyman and KPMG to draw up a plan to cut impaired loans by 4 billion euros, MF reported.

BANCA CARIGE CRGI.MI The lender said it had sold a bad loans portfolio worth a gross 964 million euros at 22.3 pct of gross book value.

SAIPEM SPMI.MI Saipem said on Monday there had been no theft or loss of data from the recent cyber attack.

AUTOGRILL AGL.MI Autogrill is ready to consider any option that could create value for shareholders, the Italian airport and motorway catering group said on Tuesday.

SAFILO SFLG.MI Italy's Safilo said it had raised 121 million euros from its capital increase where take-up was 80.7 percent.

Bourse After Hours market closed.

CDR ADVANCE CAPITAL CDRU.MI Special shareholders' meeting (1630 GMT).

Ordinary shareholders' meeting ABITARE IN ABIT.MI (1630 GMT), SERI INDUSTRIAL SERK.MI (1000 GMT)

DIARY BlackRock BLK.N holds news conference on "Market Outlook 2019" in Milan (1345 GMT).

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