Asterion to buy stake in Italy airports business from Ardian-Credit Agricole Assurance, sources say

MILAN (Reuters) - Spanish fund Asterion has agreed to buy 49% of a holding company that owns several Italian airports from France's Ardian and Credit Agricole Assurance, including a stake in the Milan airports' operator, two sources said.

An official announcement for the deal is expected later on Wednesday, the two sources closed to the matter said.

Reuters reported in December that the minority investors in the 2i Aeroporti holding company, which owns among others the Naples and Turin airports, were considering selling their stake.

Ardian and Credit Agricole Assurance hired Mediobanca and Credit Agricole to find a buyer, sources told Reuters at the time.

(Reporting by Elisa Anzolin; writing by Valentina Za; editing by Alessandro Parodi and Hugh Lawson)