Italian Parliamentary Budget office does not validate proposed budget

The Italian Parliamentary Budget Office did not validate the 2019 GDP forecast as presented in the Def update note, judging it to be “overly optimistic” and creating new tensions in the Italian administration. TgCom Economy Minister Giovanni Tria on Tuesday underwent a lengthy grilling session before the budget committee of Italy’s lower house of parliament. Ansa

The spread between Italian and German 10-year bond yields closed 11 points down on 292 Tuesday, from 303 at Monday’s close, after hitting a post-May high of 315 earlier in the day.

The yield on the BTP closed at 3.47% after brushing 3.60% earlier, a new high since February 2014.

Analysts said the spread may have fallen after Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini vowed action if it were to rise further.

Salvini said he was sure Italians “are ready to give us a hand” and bring down the bond spread by converting their foreign bonds into Italian ones.

“The strength of Italy, which none of our friends sitting at the table today has, neither the French nor the Spanish, is private saving that has no equal in the world,” he said at a G6 meeting in Lyon.

“For the moment it is silent and is invested in foreign bonds. I am convinced that the Italians are ready to give us a hand”.

The government will not “keep still” if the spread rises further, Salvini said.

“We have a few ideas,” he said.