Buyout talk lifts Alitalia

Shares of Alitalia SpA, the Italian airline, rose sharply today in Europe amid speculation that an Italian-led consortium was preparing to make a bid, according to AFX, a news service owned by Thomson Corp. (publisher of PEHub.com). Interested parties cited in the report include Management & Capitali SpA, a private equity firm owned by Carlo De Benedetti. The Italian government appears willing to sell its entire stake in the airline. www.managementecapitali.it