Having spent the early part of the week screaming that the company was on its way to Carey Street (home of the bankruptcy courts in London), shares in Ing C Olivetti & Co SpA recovered a smidgen in Milan yesterday, but analysts started to wonder who is really running the company – is it ousted Carlo De Benedetti, still the largest shareholder, or chief executive Francesco Caio; if anyone doubts that de Benedetti is still vitally interested in the firm that in its present form is very much his creation, de Benedetti met with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Tuesday to discuss the Olivetti situation, while Caio was due to meet Industry Minister Pierluigi Bersani and Labour Minister Tiziano Treu yesterday; the prime minister’s office was quick to point out that discussions had not involved state aid for the group, but the talks only served to deepen the mystery of who is really in command at the loss-making company, Reuter commented; the price, up 3.03% at 585 lire yesterday, mocks those that paid 1,000 lire in the rights issue.
