PRAGUE, March 24 (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 + 1 hour) =========================ECONOMIC DATA=========================
Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONCZ>
Previous stories on Czech data.............[
]Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
Updates on CEE currencies............................[
] ==========================EVENTS================================PRAGUE - European Banking and Financial Forum (www.ebff.cz) (until March 25).
Related news: [
]
PRAGUE - On-line interview with CEZ <
> CFO Martin Novak on Website www.patria.cz at 1300 GMT.Related news: [
]
PRAGUE - Car maker Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobile Czech to hold a news conference on 2009 results at 1400 GMT.
Related news: [
] ==========================TOP NEWS=============================ODS: Czech opposition leader Mirek Topolanek fought off a rebellion by senior officials in his right-wing Civic Democrats on Tuesday, rejecting calls for him to quit before the general election in May.
Story: [
] Related news: [ ]
CEE MARKETS: Serbia's central bank intervened on Tuesday to defend the dinar after its governor announced his resignation, while other currencies in Central Europe were mixed in tight ranges.
Story: [
] Related news: [ ]
TOUGH YEAR AHEAD: The next Czech government will struggle to draw up a 2011 budget given still very slow economic growth and mild inflation, Prime Minister Jan Fischer said on Tuesday.
Story: [
] Related news: [ ]
CEZ IN BULGARIA: Czech utility CEZ <
> will most likely freeze a plan to build an 880 megawatt gas-fired power plant in Bulgaria due to uncertainties over gas supplies and market regulations, the company said on Tuesday.Story: [
] Related news: [ ]
HALFORDS LEAVING: British retailer Halfords <HFD.L> expects to beat full-year profit forecasts, boosted by demand for car parts during recent bad weather, and will close its loss-making shops in central Europe.
Story: [
] Related news: [ ]---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2010 Czech Equities <
> -- 1187.2 0.18 6.26 vs Euro <EURCZK=> 25.445 25.444 0 3.32 vs Dollar <CZK=> 18.952 18.838 -0.61 -3.13 U.S. Equities < > 10888.83 10785.89 0.95 4.42 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 ========================PRESS DIGEST=========================TREATY SIGNING: Diplomatic sources told the newspaper that there was still a possibility a U.S.-Russia nuclear arms pact in Prague.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
KOMERCNI AGM: Komercni Banka <
> will hold its annual general meeting on April 29.Hospodarske Noviny, page 26
SKODA PRODUCTION: Volkswagen <VOWG.DE> unit Skoda Auto will start again Friday production shifts for its small-make Fabia in April after cutting production at the start of the year.
E15, page 9
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.
For Instant Views of key economic data click on
[
] For summary of economic data and forecasts <CZ/ECON01> For diary of forthcoming Czech events [ ] For calendar of east European economic indicators [ ] TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets [ ] TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch [ ] 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 < > Budapest BUX < > Prague PX < >News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474; fax: +420 224 229 935
E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com