The board of Enel SpA (BIT:ENEL) is likely to allow on December 17, 2020 the potential sale of all or part of the Italian energy firm's 50% interest in domestic broadband provider Open Fiber S.p.A. to Australian investment group Macquarie Group Limited (ASX:MQG) infrastructure arm in light of a binding €2.65-billion ($3.2 Billion) offer made in September, 2020 Reuters reported. Enel is likely to give management more time to clarify the details of a deal, an informed source told the news agency on December 16, 2020. Macquarie reportedly increased the unit's valuation to €7.5 billion from €7 billion in October, 2020.

The Australian investor is said to be likely to consent to Italian state-controlled bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) taking a higher controlling stake in Open Fibre as part of joint efforts with Telecom Italia to speed up the roll-out of a single broadband network in the country, according to earlier reports. Macquarie, however, is said to be determined to secure a stake of at least 40% in Enel's subsidiary.