The following factors could affect Italian markets on Friday.
Reuters has not verified the newspaper reports, and cannotvouch for their accuracy. New items are marked with (*).
EURO ZONE CRISIS
The euro zone's rescue fund, the European StabilityMechanism (ESM), should be rapidly given the possibility torecapitalise banks directly as soon as a new system of banksupervision is in place, Italy's Prime Minister said onThursday.
The governor of Lombardy refused to resign over a wideninggraft scandal on Thursday but said he would appoint a newgovernment for Italy's wealthiest and most populous region,adding to political disarray six months from general elections.
* FINMECCANICA The defence group mulls a possible tie-up with Thales
and will present a project on this at a meeting withthe government on Oct. 16, MF says without quoting sources.
ENI
Italian oil and gas group Eni expects its operations inAfrica, including its jumbo find in Mozambique, to underpinlong-term growth as it presses ahead with plans to shift itsfocus to exploration and production.
CAMFIN PIRELLI
The board of the holding approved on Thursday the issueanceof five-year convertible bonds in Pirelli shares for up 150million euros to reimbourse 132.4 million euros of maturing debtand support financial interventions for Prelios.
PRELIOS
Loss-making property manager Prelios has chosen Italianconsortium Feidos over U.S. fund Fortress for exclusivetalks on a rescue deal.
UNIPOL
Italian insurer Unipol has lodged an appeal againstconditions laid down by the country's competition watchdog toclear its planned takeover of peer Fondiaria-SAI tocreate Italy's No.2 player.
GEOX
The shoemaker has signed a partnership agreement withdistributor RI Qing in China as part of its internationalexpansion plans, the company said in an emailed statement onThursday.
Geox said it plans to open 100 stores in Beijing an Shanghaiby 2016, and 30 stores in Hong Kong and Macau by 2014.
* CAMFIN , PIRELLIItalian holding company Cafmin , which controlstyremaker Pirelli , said on Friday it launched afixed-rate 150 million euro ($194.14 million) bond convertibleinto 5.85 percent of Pirelli shares. * IMPREGILO
The Italian cabinet is set to decide next week whether topay a 300 million euro reimbursement to Impregilo for cancellingthe building of a planned bridge over the Messina Streit, IlSole 24 Ore reports.
CELL THERAPEUTICS
Company says has closed proposed public offering preferredshares worth $60 million. Net proceeds after fees andcommissions will be $55.6 million.
((Milan newsroom, +39 02 6612 9507, fax +39 02 801149,milan.newsroom@news.reuters.com))
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