Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Jan 8

                                
  PRAGUE, Jan 8 (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 hour)

=========================ECONOMIC DATA=========================
                                
 December foreign exchange reserves data at 0900 GMT.
                                
 Q4 government debt duration data at 1300 GMT.
                                
 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============================
                                
 CAR SALES: Czech car sales fell 11 percent last year as
companies and consumers put off purchases amid the global
economic recession, and dealers expect flat sales in 2010 with
an improvement to pre-crisis levels late in the year, an
industry association said on Thursday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE60618M] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
                                
 FOREIGN TRADE: The Czech foreign trade posted a bigger than
forecast 14.5 billion crown ($792.3 million) surplus in
November, data showed on Thursday, which analysts said was
largely due to a low comparative base from a year earlier.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE60606U] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
                                
 CEE FX POLL: Central Europe's main currencies are seen
extending last year's gains in 2010, led by the zloty, even
though the next few months could be shaky, a monthly Reuters
poll of analysts showed on Thursday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLAG006044] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CEE MARKETS: Emerging European currencies eased on
Thursday, giving back some of recent gains after good news on
the budget front from many countries, with the Czech crown
outperforming slightly as exports stopped shrinking.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE6060FS] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]

                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2009
 Czech Equities <.PX>   1152,7    1152,7    -0,35       3,17
vs Euro   <EURCZK=>     26,303    26,255    -0,18       0,06
vs Dollar    <CZK=>     18,357    18,354    -0,02       0,11
 U.S. Equities <.DJI>   10606,86  10573,68   0,31      1,71
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600

============================PRESS DIGEST========================
                                
 
                                
 EXIT STRATEGY: The technocrat government is working on "an
exit strategy" that should help kick-start the economy as the
global economic downturn subsides. Proposed measures include
cutting the budget by more than 100 billion crowns ($5.44
billion), and either reinstating a progressive tax or raising
the flat tax rate to 30 percent from 15. 
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 2
                                
  
                                
 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
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
 (Compiled by Jana Mlcochova)