/ISSUANCE: Italy's total 2019 M/L-T...........>

ITALY: /ISSUANCE: Italy's total 2019 M/L-T issuance will amount to E240bln,

around E7bln less than targeted at the beginning of the year, Tesoro DMO head

Davide Iacovoni told Reuters in an interview published Wednesday.

- M/L-T Issuance is around 62% complete. Including bills, total issuance set to

be around E400bln. Other notes:

- Italy could save E3bln on interest costs in 2020 vs baseline, given low

prevailing yields.

- Tesoro remains committed to selling BTP Italia retail bond by the end of the

year, with `complementary instruments aimed at the retail sector`.

- In talks to increase number of primary dealers (currently 17 banks).

- Average debt maturity will be 6.8 years by year-end, at/above 2018 level.

- Tesoro looks to issue its first USD bond since 2010 by end-year and is also

looking to make private placements in other FX (incl JPY), Iacovoni said.