PRAGUE, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Monday.
ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 1 hour)
======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONCZ>
Previous stories on Czech data.............[]
Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
Updates on Czech currency.............................[]
====================== EVENTS ==================================
PRAGUE - Finance Ministry to detail Q3 government debt
figures.
Related news: []
====================== TOP NEWS ================================
CZECH BUDGET GAP COULD RISE: The Czech central state budget
deficit could reach 70 billion crowns ($3.6 billion) next year,
nearly double the amount approved by parliament this week,
Deputy Prime Minister Petr Necas said on Sunday.
Story: [] Related news: []
CRISIS HITTING CEE PRODUCTION: The global crisis has
tightened its grip on industry-heavy central Europe, causing
Hungarian and Czech manufacturing to shrink and forcing the
latter's biggest producer to shift to a four-day work week until
mid-2009.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE FX LOSE: Central European currencies and stocks fell on
Friday due to the collapse of a U.S. auto sector bailout and a
raft of poor economic data, with the Polish zloty leading
losses, pummelled by corporate worries.
Story: [] Related news: []
ERSTE UPBEAT ON REGION: Erste Group Bank <ERST.VI> struck a
defiantly upbeat note on emerging Europe on Friday, saying it
still expected the region to drive growth, but as gloomy Czech
data came in the bank struggled to convince investors.
Story: [] Related news: []
CZECH INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT DOWN: The gathering global economic
crisis hammered Czech industrial output in October, causing it
to fall 7.6 percent on an annual basis for the worst result in
almost eight years, the statistics office said on Friday.
Story: [] Related news: []
CZECH CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT WIDER: The Czech current
account posted a deficit of 21.99 billion crowns ($1.12 billion)
in October, bigger than the market forecast of a 15.30 billion
crown gap, data showed on Friday.
Story: [] Related news: []
====================== PRESS DIGEST ===========================
OPPOSITION WANTS LOWER VAT TAX: The opposition Social
Democrats plan to propose lower VAT tax to 6 percent from 9
percent at the start of next year.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
AAA CLOSING TWO BRANCHES: AAA Auto Group <> plans
to close two Hungarian branches, and expects full year sales to
reach 60,000 versus 80,000 vehicles in 2007.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 20
BANKS PROFIT MAY SHOW RECORD IN 2008: Czech banks' combined
profit this year could surpass a record 47 billion crowns ($2.40
billion) seen in 2007, central bank Deputy Governor Miroslav
Singer said.
E15, page 8
CZECHS' OUTLOOK GLOOMIER: Two thirds of Czechs believe their
financial situation will worsen in 2009, according to research
from Stem agency.
E15, page 4
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
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For summary of economic data and forecasts <CZ/ECON01>
For diary of forthcoming Czech events []
For calendar of east European economic indicators []
TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets []
TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch []
For an economic indicator diary for the euro zone, the United
States and other Group of Seven countries see <G7TODAY>
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News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474;
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E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
(Compiled by Jason Hovet)
