Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on March 4

                                
 PRAGUE, March 4 (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 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 CEE currencies............................[CEE/]
                                
 
============================TOP NEWS===========================
                                
 ECON COULD RETURN TO QUICK GROWTH-GOVERNOR: The Czech
economy has good prerequisite to return to a relatively quick
growth pace and could reach the pre-crisis GDP level around the
end of this year, central bank Governor Miroslav Singer said on
Thursday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE722209] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
                                
 TIME WARNER RAISES STAKE IN CME: U.S. media group Time
Warner <TWX.N> has bought 3.12 million publicly traded shares in
Central European Media Enterprises <CETVsp.RP> <CETV.O>, raising
its minority holding in the company, it said on Thursday.
                                
Story: [ID:nLDE7220MI] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG]
                                
 
                                
 CEE MARKETS: Emerging European currencies edged lower
against the euro but jumped against the dollar on Thursday after
the ECB signalled interest rate rises ahead, while Romania
rejected all bids at a debt tender.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE7210OH] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
            
                                
 CEE POWER: Czech power prices gained across the board on
Thursday as strong oil prices supported many contracts and
demand outstripped available supply in the transmission grid,
traders said. 
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE7220K7] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DRV]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency    Latest     Prev   Pct change Pct change
                                
                                 close    on day     in 2011
 vs Euro    <EURCZK=>     24.265     24.23    -0.14       2.94
 vs Dollar     <CZK=>     17.391     17.386   -0.03       6.84
 Czech Equities <.PX>  1,238.0    1,238.0      0.71       1.08
 U.S. Equities <.DJI> 12,258.2   12,066.8      1.59       5.88
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT
==========================PRESS DIGEST=========================
                                
 COALITION DEBATING TAX HIKE: Junior coalition partner Public
Affairs official Michal Babak told the paper government parties
negotiators have been debating a plan to raise corporate income
tax to 20 percent from 19 percent. The centre-right coalition
had pledged it would not raise direct taxes. Property tax will
rise several times over, Babak told the daily.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 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>

                                
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