PRAGUE, March 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=========================
February producer prices and January foreign trade prices
data at 0800 GMT.
Finance Ministry to detail Q4 government debt figures.
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 - The Czech cabinet to hold a session
(www.vlada.cz/en/default.htm). News conference due at 1330 GMT.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - The lower house of parliament to continue a
session.
Related news: []
==========================TOP NEWS=============================
CEE MARKETS: Central European currencies were stronger on
Friday on further signs of a local economic recovery and rising
risk appetite as investors shrugged off a recent stream of
verbal intervention from policymakers.
Story: [] Related news: []
KIT DIGITAL: Video technology provider KIT digital
<KITDsp.PR> <KITD.O> is close to completing a new acquisition
after earmarking around $20 million from a share offering for
purchases this year, officials said on Friday.
Story: [] Related news: []
CURRENT ACCOUNT: The Czech current account showed a 15.62
billion crown ($827.8 million) surplus in January after a
revised 16.79 billion crown gap in December, almost four times
wider than market forecast for a 4.4 billion crown surplus.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2010
Czech Equities <> 1189 1189 1,03 6,42
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 25,458 25,483 0,1 3,27
vs Dollar <CZK=> 18,518 18,493 -0,14 -0,77
U.S. Equities <> 10624,69 10611,84 0,12 1,89
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600
=========================PRESS DIGEST===========================
ELECTION: The main Czech leftist party the Social Democrats,
which leads opinion polls ahead of an election in May, approved
an election programme on Saturday. The paper calculated their
pledges, including higher pensions, parent and various other
welfare fees, would cost 70 billion crowns ($3.78 billion) a
year, while the budget shows the highest deficit in history.
Meanwhile the party pledges to cut the deficit by 20-25 billion
each year and adopt the euro by 2016.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
TAXES: Technocrat Finance Minister Eduard Janota said he
supported progressive taxation, and a 31 percent income tax rate
should be the highest possible rate. The Social Democrats plan a
38 percent rate for top earners. Janota said such a rate was not
reasonable.
Pravo, page 4
IPOs: The Prague Stock Exchange could see a record number of
initial public offerings this year, chief Petr Koblic said.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 24
HEDGE FUNDS: The Czechs agree with the United Kingdom in the
debate over hedge funds and private equity regulation. Deputy
Finance Minister Klara Hajkova said the planned regulation by
the EU could hamper an inflow of investment in the country.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 17
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
(Compiled by Jana Mlcochova)
E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
