Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Feb 25

                                
 PRAGUE, Feb 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 + 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===========================
                                
 ERSTE RESULTS: Erste Group Bank <ERST.VI> forecast
profitability would rise as loan-loss provisions fall further,
after fourth-quarter net profit rose a forecast-beating 5.2
percent to 278.6 million euros ($384.3 million).
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE71N1XJ] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-BNK]
                                
 
                                
 CEZ RESULTS: Net profit at Czech power group CEZ <CEZPsp.PR>
dropped 9 percent last year due to lower prices and a weaker end
to 2010 than most analysts expected.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE71N0Z9] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ELG]
                                
 
                                
 NWR RESULTS: New World Resources (NWR) <NWRS.L> <NWRSsp.PR>
forecast robust coking coal demand in 2011 after higher prices
and demand helped lift fourth-quarter net profit 44 percent from
the previous quarter, in line with estimates.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE71N0CO] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-COA]
                                
 
                                
 CEE MARKETS: The forint rose on Thursday ahead of Hungary's
announcement of reform plans next week, while concerns over
unrest in oil-producing states weighed on currencies in the
European Union's (EU) emerging markets.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE71M0FH] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CEE POWER: Czech day-ahead fell on Thursday as temperatures
warmed and electricity for 2012 delivery eased as market
participants looked for signals to where the contract would head
next, traders said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE71N1X9] 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=>     24.482     24.517    0.14      2.07
 vs Dollar     <CZK=>     17.712     17.781    0.39      5.12
 Czech Equities <.PX>  1,238.0    1,238.0     -0.3       1.08
 U.S. Equities <.DJI> 12,068.5  12,105.78     -0.31      4.24
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT

==========================PRESS DIGEST=========================
                                
 PENSION REFORM: Prime Minister Petr Necas said the
government would try to reach an agreement with the opposition
Social Democrats on pension reform to ensure the model continues
in future election cycles, but added the opposition cannot have
veto rights.
                                
 He said money raised from a higher value-added tax, which
wil be in effect in 2012, a year before the opt-opt, will go to
a pension reform account.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 9
                                
 
                                
 CEZ RESULTS RELEASE: CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> could be fined up to 10
million crowns by the regulators at the Czech central bank,
which is investigating the mistaken early release of full-year
profit figures on Thursday.
                                
 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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