Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Feb 26

                                
 PRAGUE, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Thursday:
                                
 ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 1 hour)

======================== 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 Czech currency.............................[CZK/]
=========================== EVENTS =============================
                                
 PRAGUE - Final day of forum "Renewable Energy Finance Forum
Central and Eastern Europe".
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-RNW]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Czech central bank governing board to hold a
regular weekly meeting. It is not scheduled to discuss monetary
policy issues.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Chemicals group Unipetrol <UNPEsp.PR>, a unit of
Poland's PKN Orlen <PKNA.WA>, to publish 2008 results. News
conference at 0930 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CHE]

==========================MORNING NEWS==========================
                                
 UNIPETROL Q4 OPERATING LOSS: Czech downstream oil group
Unipetrol <UNPEsp.PR> posted a larger-than-expected operating
loss of 1.26 billion crowns ($56.78 million) in the fourth
quarter, the company said on Thursday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLQ291473] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CHE]
                                
 
============================NEWS================================
                                
 INDIVIDUAL CEE APPROACH: The Czech Republic favours a
discussion on aid to central and east European countries worst
affected by the global financial crisis but clear distinctions
must be made between those who need it and who don't, Czech
Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said on Wednesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLP727129] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
                                
 EUROBOND STILL ISSUE, FX UNDERVALUED: The Czech Republic may
go ahead with a planned eurobond issue but only if spreads
reflect the country is in a better position than other central
and east European states, Czech Finance Minister Miroslav
Kalousek said on Wednesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLP635129] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]
                                
 
                                
 CEZ GETS GERMAN MINES: Czech power group CEZ <CEZsp.PR> and
financial group J&T said on Wednesday they had agreed to buy
German miner Mitteldeutsche Braunkohlengesellschaft for 404
million euros.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLP840084] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG]
                                
 
                                
 CME EXPECTS ROUGH 2009: Czech broadcaster Central European
Media Enterprises (CME) <CETVsp.PR> <CETV.O> posted
weaker-than-expected earnings at the close of 2008 and braced
for a difficult two years.
                                
 Story: [ID:LP34737] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-BCST]
                                
 
                                
 ZLOTY LEADS FX DROP: The zloty fell on Wednesday after the
Polish central bank pointed to more monetary easing after an
interest rate cut of a quarter percentage point earlier in the
day.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLP512330] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 POLAND CALLS FOR EURO FLEXIBILITY: Poland called for a
common push on Wednesday among its central and Eastern European
peers for more flexible rules on adopting the euro, seen by some
states in the region as a possible shield against the global
crisis.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLP813716] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-EUR]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2009
 Czech Equities  <.PX>   642.1    642.1   +0.00          n/a 
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  28.580   28.580   +0.00         -6.26
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  22.419   22.425   -0.05        -14.83
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>   7,271    7,351   -1.09        -17.15
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT

=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
                                
 INBEV SHOPPING STAROPRAMEN AROUND: Belgain brewing group
InBev <INTB.BR> is considering selling its Czech brewery
Pivovary Staropramen to help finance its acquisition of
Anheuser-Busch, according to sources in the local market.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 JOB CUTS: Half of Czech firms are looking at cutting staff
in the current economic downturn, according to a survey by the
Czech Chamber of Commerce.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 13
                                
 
                                
 
                                
 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 Jason Hovet)