Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on April 23

                                
 PRAGUE, April 23 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Friday.
                                
 ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours)

=========================ECONOMIC DATA=========================
                                
 Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONCZ>
                                
 Previous stories on Czech data.............[CZ-RTRS-LEN-ECI]
                                
 Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
                                
 Updates on CEE currencies............................[CEE/]
 ==========================TOP NEWS============================
                                
 
                                
 KB:POSITION FOR SHORT-END IRS CURVE RISE: Komercni Banka
recommended positioning for a rise in the short-end of the Czech
interest rate swap (IRS) curve by paying the 2-year at 1.80
percent, saying the market has not priced enough rate hikes in
over the next year.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE63L1F3] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-INT]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK'S TOMSIK SEES ROOM TO CUT RATES: The recent rise in
the Czech crown threatens the central bank's forecast that
inflation will rise to its 2 percent target over next twelve to
eighteen months and offers scope for a further easing in
interest rates, central bank board member Vladimir Tomsik said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE63L1DF] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 HOUSE SPEAKER QUITS OVER SCANDAL: The speaker of the Czech
parliament's lower house stepped down on Thursday after
admitting he lied about a subsidy, a step to cool a scandal that
could hurt his Social Democrats ahead of an election in May.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE63L1V1] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 COURT APPROVES ORCO CAPITAL INCREASES: A minority
shareholder of Czech real estate developer Orco Property Group
<ORCOsp.PR> <ORCO.PA> said on Thursday a court denied its
request to block newly issued shares from voting at an upcoming
general meeting.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRG004069] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-REA]
                                
 
                                
 CEE FX DIP ON GREECE, CZK ALSO HIT BY TOMSIK: Central
European currencies dipped on Thursday after data showing a
worsening Greek budget deficit and rate cut talk in the Czech
Republic and Poland, while Hungarian and Romanian debt auctions
went well.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE63L0DX] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2010
 Czech Equities <.PX>  1276,5   1276,5    -0,89       14,25
vs Euro   <EURCZK=>    25,41    25,407    -0,01        3,45
vs Dollar    <CZK=>    19,219   19,105    -0,6        -4,58
 U.S. Equities <.DJI>  11134,29  11124,92  0,08        6,77
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT

========================PRESS DIGEST============================
                                
 LEFT AIMS TO REGULATE ENERGY,TELECOMS PRICES: The Social
Democrats, who lead opinion polls ahead of a May election, plan
to establish a super regulator if they win the election, that
would regulate power, water and telecom prices.
                                
 Mlada Fronta Dnes, page 8
                                
 
                                
 LEADERS SEEK WAYS OF EXITING CRISIS: Representatives of
government, trade unions and employers agreed on Thursday on
thirteen points that should help the country to exit the
economic downturn. The points include auditing the state budget
spending, completing nuclear plant Temelin and upgrading
coal-fired plant Prunerov, as well as building dams on the Labe
river.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 4
                                
 
                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
                                
 
                                
 For Instant Views of key economic data click on
                                
[CZ/INSTANT]
 For summary of economic data and forecasts          <CZ/ECON01>
 For diary of forthcoming Czech events                [CZ/DIARY]
 For calendar of east European economic indicators  [CONV/DIARY]
 TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets                         [TOP/EMRG]
 TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch                        [TOP/EAST]

 For an economic indicator diary for the euro zone, the United
 States and other Group of Seven countries see         <G7TODAY>

 For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets:
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX <.PX>

                                
 News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 (Compiled by Jana Mlcochova)
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com