Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on July 30

                                
 PRAGUE, July 30 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Wednesday:
                                
 ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours)

======================== 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 - Ceska Sporitelna <ERSTsp.PR>, a unit of Erste Bank
<ERST.VI>, press conference with CEO Gernot Mittendorfer on H1
results at 0900 GMT.
                                
 
  LONDON - Television group Central European Media Enterprises
<CETV.O> <CETVsp.PR> conference call on release of Q2 results at
1400 GMT.
                                
 
====================== TOP NEWS ================================
                                
 HALF POINT RATE CUT MAY BE DISCUSSED - C.BANKER: The Czech
central bank may discuss a 50 basis point interest rate cut when
its policymakers meet on Aug. 7, board member Pavel Rezabek was
quoted as saying on Wednesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL9498190] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
                                
 PPF OFFICIALLY WITHDRAWS ZENTIVA BID: Financial group PPF
officially withdrew its 950 crown per share bid for Czech
generic drug maker Zentiva, it said on Wednesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRG000922] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DRU]
                                
 
                                
 ERSTE BANK UPS Q2 PROFIT 22 PCT: Austria's Erste Bank
<ERST.VI> <ERSTsp.PR> reported a 22-percent rise in its net
profit on Wednesday, roughly in line with analysts' estimates
but marred by a doubling in loan loss provisions and higher than
expected costs.
                                
 Story: [ID:nVIE001285] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-BNK]
                                
 
                                
 CME Q2 REVENUE 41 PCT HIGHER, BEATS FORECAST: Revenue at
Central European Media Enterprises <CETV.O> <CETVsp.PR> jumped
41 percent year-on-year in the second quarter to $305.4 million,
boosted by advertising growth, the broadcaster said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL0552905] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MDIA]
                                
 
                                
 STRONG CROWN SIGNIFICANTLY TIGHTENING CONDITIONS: The
strength of the Czech crown is significantly tightening monetary
conditions and a rate cut may be considered at the bank's Aug. 7
monetary policy meeting, Vice-Governor Miroslav Singer said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL9296085] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,443.9  1,445.2   -0.09        -20.45
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  23.730   23.700   -0.13        +11.67
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  15.211   15.027   -1.20        +19.47
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  11,398   11,131   +2.39        -14.08
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
                                
 
====================== PRESS DIGEST ===========================
                                
 CROWN'S IMPACT ON ECONOMY REASON FOR RATE CUT: Excessive
firming of the Czech crown and its impact on the economy would
be an argument in favour of cutting interest rates, central
banker Eva Zamrazilova was quoted as saying.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 19
                                
 
                                
 WARBURG PINCUS LOOKING TO BUY SEZNAM: Equity group Warburg
Pincus, which already owns two web portals in the Czech
Republic, is interested in buying the country's largest search
engine Seznam in order to keep it out of the hands of another
reported bidder Google <GOOG.O>, according to unnamed sources.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 13
                                
 
                                
 PRICES OF PRAGUE FLATS STAGNATING: Price growth of flats in
the capital are starting to stagnate after rising 5 percent in
the first half of the year, according to the Institute of
Regional Information.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 SIEMENS AGREES NOT TO LAY OFF PRAGUE WORKERS TILL 2009:
Germany's Siemens <SIEGn.DE> agreed with Czech unions not to
begin laying off people from its Prague factory until June 30
next year as it prepares to sell the factory.
                                
 E15, 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 +420 224 190 477;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
 (Compiled by Jason Hovet)