Italian Stocks - Factors to watch on Jan 6

MILAN, Jan 6 (Reuters) - 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 (*).

AFTER-HOURS TRADING CLOSED

ALITALIA AZPIa.MI
* The boards of Alitalia and Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA) could
meet on Friday to seal a partnership agreement, Il Messaggero
reported. Air France-KLM will invest 300 million euros to take a
stake of about 25 percent, it said without citing sources.
Roberto Colaninno, head of the CAI consortium that bought
Alitalia from the state, talked with Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) Chief
Executive Wolfgang Mayrhuber on Monday by phone but "without any
great consequences", the newspaper said.

Italy's Northern League party renewed its calls on Monday
for German airline Lufthansa to become Alitalia's new partner.
The party said its leader would meet Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi over the matter.

For a story, double click on [ID:nL5194842]

Italian news agency Ansa quoted Northern League leader
Umberto Bossi reiterating the party preferred Lufthansa as a
partner for Alitalia "or in exchange we call for the
liberalisation of routes from Malpensa ... With (Prime Minister)
Berlusconi we always find an agreement".

UNICREDIT (CRDI.MI)

Shareholders are weighing a merger between the bank and
Mediobanca (MDBI.MI) as a possible option, Il Sole 24 Ore
reported, citing reliable sources. "The game will be played in
the next six months," one was quoted as saying.

* IRIDE (IRD.MI)

The regional utility's chairman, Roberto Bazzano, risks
being ousted because the company might not pay a dividend this
year, La Stampa reported.

FIAT (FIA.MI)

Great Wall Motor Co Ltd (2333.HK) said a Chinese court has
dismissed in a final ruling a claim by Fiat alleging
infringement of a Fiat patent by the Chinese car maker.

For a story, double click on [ID:nL5255475]

TELECOM ITALIA (TLIT.MI)

Argentina's antitrust commission ordered Telecom Italia not
to change its participation in Telecom Argentina due to concerns
over Telefonica's (TEF.MC) indirect stake in the Italian
company.

For a story, double click on [ID:nN05375339]