MILAN, June 15 (Reuters) – Italian investors, who together
with banks hold the key to the country’s ability to service its
debt, are showing signs of nervousness by asking for greater
investment diversification, although no real panic has set in
yet, fund managers say.

Cash-rich retail investors and Italian banks have become
increasingly important as the main buyers of domestic government
bonds after foreign investors slashed their exposure to Italian
debt in the midst of the euro zone crisis.

MILAN/BRUSSELS, June 13 (Reuters) – Germany told Italians on
Wednesday they must keep taking Prime Minister Mario Monti’s
tough economic medicine to avoid becoming the next victim of the
euro zone debt crisis after a bailout for Spain’s banks failed
to calm markets.

“If Italy continues along Monti’s path there will be no
risks,” German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said in an
interview with La Stampa daily when asked whether Rome was next
in the markets’ firing line.

MILAN (Reuters) – Italy must step up efforts to curb its colossal debt and revive growth to reverse negative investor sentiment that threatens to push it to the brink, despite a reform drive and a banking system sounder than Spain’s.

But economists and the central bank say Rome can still tap a large domestic savings pool to help fight the mounting cost of servicing its 1.9 trillion euro debt.

MILAN (Reuters) – Italy must step up efforts to curb its colossal debt and revive growth to reverse negative investor sentiment that threatens to push it to the brink, despite a reform drive and a banking system sounder than Spain’s.

But economists and the central bank say Rome can still tap a large domestic savings pool to help fight the mounting cost of servicing its 1.9 trillion euro ($2.4 trillion) debt.

MILAN, June 10 (Reuters) – A private equity bid for
Fondiaria-SAI spearheaded by seasoned banker Matteo
Arpe needs to show it can find the money and expertise to revive
the troubled Italian insurer if it is to capitalise on a setback
to a rival offer.

Fondiaria, Italy’s No.2 insurer behind Assicurazioni
Generali, is in dire financial straits after years of
decline under the Ligresti family which controls it, and
urgently needs a capital injection to stay afloat.