Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on March 21

                                
 PRAGUE, March 21 (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 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/]
                                
 
============================EVENTS===============================    PRAGUE -  Conference "Zofinske forum" on government reform
with Prime Minister Petr Necas (1200 GMT).
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
============================TOP NEWS===========================
                                
 HAVEL LEFT HOSPITAL: Former Czech President Vaclav Havel
left hospital on Sunday after recovering from another bout of
his chronic respiratory illness, his secretary said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE72J05P] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PRO]
                                
 
                                
 SOCIAL DEMOCRATS PICK NEW CHAIRMAN: The main Czech leftist
party, the Social Democrats, elected Bohuslav Sobotka as its
chairman on Friday, permanently naming him to the post he had
been serving in since an election last May.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE72H1P7] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 PM SEES LOWER DEFICIT, SPURNS EURO PACT: The centre-right
Czech government will cut its 2011 budget deficit more than
planned and will push on with tough belt-tightening measures
despite a fall in popularity, Prime Minister Petr Necas said on
Friday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE72H1TN] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 Reuters Insider TV: [ID:nRTV202046]
                                
 Highlights: [ID:nLDE72H1FM]
                                
 
                                
 FINMIN UNVEILS TAX REFORM: The Czech finance ministry
proposed on Friday several changes to the country's tax code to
simplify the system and accompany a planned pension overhaul,
including the introduction of a rebate on the dividend tax.
                                
Story: [ID:nLDE72H190] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 CZECHS MONITORING EUROBOND MARKET: The Czech Finance
Ministry is monitoring financial markets with regards to issuing
a Eurobond, Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said on Friday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRG004807] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 S&P WITHDRAWS SAZKA RATING: Ratings agency Standard & Poors
withdrew on Friday its "D" long-term corporate credit rating on
Czech gaming company Sazka after the indebted company's assets
were put under preliminary insolvency.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE72H208] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 NO EXTRA CEZ DIVIDEND: The Czech government will not demand
an extraordinary dividend from state-owned utility CEZ
<CEZPsp.PR>, Czech Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said on
Friday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRG004806] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIV]
                                
 
                                
 INTEREST RATES SEEN ON HOLD: Nineteen out of 20 analysts
expect the bank to keep the key two-week repo rate <CZRP=>
<CZCBIR=ECI> flat at a record low 0.75 percent. One analyst
forecast a 25 basis point rise.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE72F0TB] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 CEE MARKETS: The forint firmed on Friday as investors await
the appointment of new Hungarian central bank (NBH) rate
setters, while other currencies in the region were mixed.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE72H0PN] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CEE POWER: Czech spot power hit a three-month high on Friday
due to low wind generation, colder weather, reduced solar output
and supply concerns as Germany shutters some nuclear power
stations, traders said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE72H1PK] 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=>     24.444     24.386    -0.24       2.22
 vs Dollar     <CZK=>     17.258     17.256    -0.01       7.55
 Czech Equities <.PX>  1,211.3    1,211.3       0.37      -1.1
 U.S. Equities <.DJI> 11,858.52  11,774.59      0.71       2.43
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT
omestic close at 1500 GMT
                                
 
==========================PRESS DIGEST=========================
                                

                                
 CZECHS CALL FOR NATO INVOLVEMENT IN LIBYA: Czech Foreign
Affairs Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said he wanted NATO to take
control over the military action in Libya. The Czech Republic
would send an anti-chemical unit if Gadaffi used chemical
weapons.
                                
 Pravo, page 1
                                
 
                                
 SAZKA: A superior court struck down on Friday the
appointment of Josef Cupka as Sazka preliminary bankruptcy
receiver due to a formality. 
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 15
                                
 
                                
 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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