PRAGUE, March 18 (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 + 1 hours)
=========================ECONOMIC DATA=========================
Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONCZ>
Previous stories on Czech data.............[]
Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
Updates on CEE currencies............................[]
============================EVENTS=============================== PRAGUE - Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek to hold a news
conference on tax reform.
Related news: []
============================TOP NEWS===========================
NUCLEAR PLANTS: The Czech Republic sees no reason to follow
Germany's decision to shutter nuclear plants for safety checks
due to the crisis in Japan, Prime Minster Petr Necas said on
Thursday.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE MARKETS: The Polish zloty rebounded on Thursday, helped
by a rise of equities in Central Europe, but remained close to
multi-month lows against the euro and its regional peer, the
Hungarian forint.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE POWER: Czech day-ahead power was steady on Thursday, but
electricity for 2012 delivery fell for a second straight day on
uncertainty over Germany's plans to shut down some nuclear power
plants, traders said.
Story: [] Related news: []
OIL SUPPLIES: Transneft's chief has assured the Czech
Republic that the Russian oil pipeline monopoly would uphold
agreements to provide supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, the
Czech pipeline operator Mero said on Thursday.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2011
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 24.349 24.363 0.06 2.6
vs Dollar <CZK=> 17.322 17.441 0.68 7.21
Czech Equities <> 1,206.8 1,206.8 0.42 -1.47
U.S. Equities <> 11,774.59 11,613.3 1.39 1.7
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT
==========================PRESS DIGEST=========================
TAX PLANS: The Finance Ministry will propose raising the
personal income tax to 19 percent from 15 percent of gross wages
under its tax reform. The health tax will rise to 6.5 percent
from 4.5 percent. A new tax rebate will also be introduced.
Under the plan, corporate tax would stay at 19 percent.
Also, the cap on social security tax will be lowered to
four-times the average salary.
Mlada Fronta Dnes, page A1
CEZ INVESTMENTS AND DIVESTMENTS: A plan to sell CEZ's
<> renewable energy unit via IPO is again an option but
a direct sale to a financial partner is preferred. Also the
company will look at divesting unneeded assets in connection
with its reduced investment plan through 2015.
E15, page 1
CIGARETTE TAX: The Senate signed off on a tobacco excise tax
hike that would raise a pack of cigarettes more than 3 crowns
($0.172). The president must still sign the law, which meets an
EU directive.
E15, page 3
PEGAS RESULTS: Pegas Nonwovens <> saw revenue rise
20 percent last year to 148.2 million euros.
E15, page 11
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
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TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch []
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