Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on July 25

                                
 PRAGUE, July 25 (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 + 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 - Central bank vice-governor Mojmir Hampl in online
interview on website www.idnes.cz at 1100 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
====================== TOP NEWS ================================
                                
 CZECH TELEFONICA Q2 NET UP 30 PCT: Telecommunications
operator Telefonica O2 Czech Republic's <SPTTsp.PR> net profit
rose 30.4 percent in the second quarter, lifted by real estate
sales and growing mobile revenue.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL2471926] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-TEL]
                                
 
                                
 FINMIN CUTS GROWTH FORECASTS: The Czech Finance Ministry cut
its economic growth forecasts for this year and the next by 0.3
percentage points as the central European economy suffers the
results of expensive oil and a strong domestic currency.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL24997468] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
                                
 CZECH CPI, CROWN SLIDE MEAN RATES ON HOLD FOR NOW: The Czech
central bank has hauled the meteoric crown partially back to
earth by saying it may cut interest rates next month, but the
currency's reaction to the statement and persistent price
pressure may forestall just such a move.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL23102054] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-INT]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE AIRPORT TRAFFIC UP 6 PCT IN H1: Passenger traffic at
Prague Airport, set to be privatised next year, rose 6.3 percent
in the first half of this year to 5.9 million travellers.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL24102420] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-AIR]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,441.6  1,475.0   -2.26        -20.58
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  23.700   23.700   +0.00        +11.81
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  15.078   15.078   -0.06        +20.43
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  11,349   11,632   -2.43        -14.44
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
                                
 
====================== PRESS DIGEST ===========================
                                
 PRESIDENT KEEPS STANCE ON LISBON: Czech President Vaclav
Klaus kept his opposition to the Lisbon treaty after meeting
with Polish counterpart Lech Kaczynski.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 ELECTRICITY PRICES FALL ALMOST A FIFTH: Forward electricity
prices on the Prague Energy Exchange (PXE) have dropped around
17 percent in July due to falling carbon credit and commodity
prices.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 18
                                
 
                                
 H1 MORTGAGE LENDING FALLS 20 PCT: Mortgage lending in the
Czech Republic fell around a fifth to 59.5 billion Czech crowns
($3.94 billion) in the first half of 2008.
                                
 Mlada Fronta Dnes, page A8
                                
 
                                
 ERSTE'S BCR TO HIT FINANCIAL TARGETS: Erste Bank <ERST.VI>'s
Romanian unit BCR will hit its financial targets for 2008, said
its retail division chief Martin Skopek in an interview.
                                
 E15, page 14
                                
 
                                
 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)