PRAGUE, Jan 29 (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.............[]
Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
Updates on Czech currency.............................[]
=========================== EVENTS =============================
PRAGUE - Czech central bank governing board to hold a
regular weekly meeting. It is not scheduled to discuss monetary
policy issues.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - 13-week T-bill auction.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - Representatives of the cabinet, employers and
labour unions to discuss Czech current economic situation. News
conference abou 1100 GMT.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek to meet
Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann. Discussion on financial and
energy crisis on the schedule. A news conference at 1530 GMT.
Related news: []
============================NEWS================================
C.BANK TO CUT: Declining economic growth will push the Czech
central bank to cut interest rates by 50 basis points next week,
but a weak currency will limit calls for a bigger reduction for
now, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEZ BACKING OFF GACKO: Czech power company CEZ <>
said on Wednesday it would sell its stake in a planned 1.4
billion euros ($1.85 bln) power project after blaming the
Bosnian Serb government for breaches of contract.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE FX FIRM: Central European currencies firmed on
Wednesday, helped by rising global equities and easing risk
aversion as investors were hopeful of fresh steps from U.S
rate-setters.
Story: [] Related news: []
BANKS' DAUNTING TASK: The dominance of a few western banks
that have bankrolled emerging Europe's boom years is threatening
to exacerbate a looming economic slowdown and turn it into a
vicious cycle.
Story: [] Related news: []
RULING PARY NARROWS GAP: The Czech Republic's ruling Civic
Democrats (ODS) narrowed a gap behind the main leftist
opposition party, the Social Democrats (CSSD), an opinion poll
showed on Wednesday.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2009
Czech Equities <> 786.4 786.4 +0.00 N/A
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 27.485 27.480 -0.02 -2.53
vs Dollar <CZK=> 20.994 21.020 +0.08 -9.02
U.S. Equities <> 8,375 8,175 +2.46 -4.57
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
HAVEL COULD GO HOME: The health of former President Vaclav
Havel has gradually improved and he could be released from
hospital already on Thursday afternoon.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 2
LEGO CONSIDERING FURTHER INVESTMENT: Toy maker Lego is
considering further investment in the Czech Republic.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 15
MORTGAGE MARKET FALLS: The Czech mortgage market fell around
20 percent in 2008 to 114 billion crowns ($5.50 billion), down
from a record 142 billion loaned in 2007.
E15, page 9
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
For Instant Views of key economic data click on []
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>
For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets:
Warsaw WIG20 <> Budapest BUX <> Prague 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)
