Italy - Factors to watch on Oct. 12

The following factors could affect Italian markets on Friday.

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

EURO ZONE CRISIS

The euro zone's rescue fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), should be rapidly given the possibility to recapitalise banks directly as soon as a new system of bank supervision is in place, Italy's Prime Minister said on Thursday.

The governor of Lombardy refused to resign over a widening graft scandal on Thursday but said he would appoint a new government 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 with the government on Oct. 16, MF says without quoting sources.

ENI

Italian oil and gas group Eni expects its operations in Africa, including its jumbo find in Mozambique, to underpin long-term growth as it presses ahead with plans to shift its focus to exploration and production.

CAMFIN PIRELLI

The board of the holding approved on Thursday the issueance of five-year convertible bonds in Pirelli shares for up 150 million euros to reimbourse 132.4 million euros of maturing debt and support financial interventions for Prelios.

PRELIOS

Loss-making property manager Prelios has chosen Italian consortium Feidos over U.S. fund Fortress for exclusive talks on a rescue deal.

UNIPOL

Italian insurer Unipol has lodged an appeal against conditions laid down by the country's competition watchdog to clear its planned takeover of peer Fondiaria-SAI to create Italy's No.2 player.

GEOX

The shoemaker has signed a partnership agreement with distributor RI Qing in China as part of its international expansion plans, the company said in an emailed statement on Thursday.

Geox said it plans to open 100 stores in Beijing an Shanghai by 2016, and 30 stores in Hong Kong and Macau by 2014.

* CAMFIN, PIRELLI Italian holding company Cafmin, which controls tyremaker Pirelli, said on Friday it launched a fixed-rate 150 million euro ($194.14 million) bond convertible into 5.85 percent of Pirelli shares.

* IMPREGILO

The Italian cabinet is set to decide next week whether to pay a 300 million euro reimbursement to Impregilo for cancelling the building of a planned bridge over the Messina Streit, Il Sole 24 Ore reports.

CELL THERAPEUTICS

Company says has closed proposed public offering preferred shares worth $60 million. Net proceeds after fees and commissions will be $55.6 million.

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Stories on Italy...... IT-LEN

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