The following factors could affect Italian markets on Wednesday....

The following factors could affect Italian markets on Wednesday.

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 .

ECONOMY European Banking Authority (EBA) Chairman Andrea Enria attends conference on "Stress Tests, Markets and Information" in Milan (1630 GMT).

COMPANIES (*) BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA BMPS.MI Fears over the feasibility of Monte dei Paschi's rescue plan hit its shares and bonds on Tuesday, highlighting the challenges faced by Chief Executive Marco Morelli on his first day in the job as head of Italy's third-largest bank.

Corriere della Sera quoted sources close to the bank and trade unions as saying around 5,000 people could be laid off under a new business plan Morelli will present in coming weeks, twice the 2,500 job cuts envisaged by the current plan and following 5,500 layoffs during former CEO Fabrizio Viola's four-and-a-half year tenure.

ENI ENI.MI The Italian oil major has delayed the planned $3.4 billion sale of its domestic retail business, sources said, as political uncertainty caused by an upcoming referendum on democratic reform hinders major deals across the country.

Nigeria has filed a lawsuit against Italian energy firm Eni, U.S. major Chevron CVX.N and other international oil firms over some crude exports, Eni, Chevron and a government official said on Tuesday.

UNICREDIT CRDI.MI , POSTE ITALIANE PST.MI , GENERALI GASI.MI

Three bidders have emerged as the main contenders to buy UniCredit's fund management arm Pioneer, in a deal which could net 3 billion euros for Italy's largest bank, sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Italian insurer Assicurazioni Generali, the country's largest asset manager, French group Amundi AMUN.PA , Europe's biggest asset manager, and an Italian consortium led by Poste Italiane have all made rival offers, the sources said.

POSTE ITALIANE PST.MI Moody's Investors Service has today affirmed the Baa2 long-term issuer rating of Poste Italiane. The outlook remains stable.

LEONARDO-FINMECCANICA LDOF.MI Italian prosecutors on Tuesday asked for a 16-year prison sentence for the former chief executive of the national rail company, now at the helm of Finmeccanica, at a trial in connection with a 2009 rail disaster in which 32 people died.

BANCA PICCOLO CREDITO VALTELLINESE PCVI.MI Creval said on Tuesday it would hold a shareholder meeting to approve transformation into joint stock company on Oct. 28, in first call, Oct. 29, in second call.

RISANAMENTO RN.MI The Italian real estate company said on Tuesday it would enter exclusive talks with Australia's LendLease Group (LLC) over possible cooperation for the joint development of the Santa Giulia property area in Milan.

MONCLER MONC.MI CEO Remo Ruffini told Il Sole 24 Ore that he had met with representatives of China's Fosun in the past "but there's never been anything concrete," following a report that the Chinese conglomerate had looked at the Italian luxury down jacket maker in the past. The paper also quoted Didier Le Menestrel, chairman of Moncler's 1.9 percent shareholder La Financiere de l'Echiquier, as saying the French asset manager was very happy with its investment.

UBI BANCA UBI.MI Roadshow to present 'Banca Unica' project in Milan.

JUVENTUS JUVE.MI Board meeting on FY results.

MEDIOBANCA MDBI.MI Board meeting on FY results (FY released on Aug. 4)

	............. .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 bracket

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 market Dow Jones............... .DJI Wall Street report ..... Nikkei 225............. .N225 Tokyo report............ FTSE 100............... .FTSE London report........... Xetra DAX............. .GDAXI Frankfurt market stories CAC-40................. .FCHI Paris market stories... World Indices..................................... 0#.INDEX Reuters survey of world bourse outlook......... EQUITYPOLL1 Western European IPO diary.......................... WEUIPO European Asset Allocation........................ Reuters News at a Glance: Equities............... Main currency report:...............................

Keyword ITALY FACTORS/SEPT. 21