Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Oct 4

                                
 PRAGUE, Oct 4 (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 + 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 CEE currencies............................[CEE/]
                                
 
===========================TOP NEWS============================
                                
 BUDGET GAP SWELLS:  The Czech central state budget gap
widened by 20.9 billion crowns in September to 99.56 billion
($5.53 billion), the Finance Ministry said on Friday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE6900V7] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
                                
 REGIONAL PMI: Czech and Polish manufacturing roared ahead in
September to multi-year highs data showed on Friday, but
regional laggard Hungary edged towards stagnation and waning
euro zone momentum indicated a slowing recovery.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE6900B9] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]

                                
 CZECH PMI AT THREE-YEAR HIGH: The Czech Purchasing Managers'
Index (PMI) rose to 58.0 in September from 57.3 in August,
holding above the breakeven point for the 11th month running and
the fastest improvement in business conditions since August
2007.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE68T0X7] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
                                
 CZK FIRMING SEEN LESS RISKY-C.BANK MINUTES: Czech central
banker Eva Zamrazilova voted for a 25 basis point rise in
interest rates at the Sept. 23 central bank policy meeting at
which the bank left the main two-week repo rate unchanged,
minutes from the meeting showed on Friday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRG004399] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 Text: [ID:nLDE69005X]
                                
 
                                
 CEE POWER: Czech spot power for the next working day fell on
low demand and high wind generation in the region, traders said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE6901M9] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DRV]
                                
 
                                
 CEE MARKETS: The Czech crown hit a 23-month high on Friday
amid expectations of monetary tightening and the forint gained 1
percent on hopes that Hungary will shortly publish details of
planned budget deficit reductions.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE6900F1] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency    Latest     Prev   Pct change Pct change
                                
                                 close    on day     in 2010
 vs Euro    <EURCZK=>     24,45     24,464    0,06       7,1
 vs Dollar     <CZK=>     17,742     17,796    0,3      3,46
 Czech Equities <.PX>  1,126,7    1,126,7       -0,43       0,84
 U.S. Equities <.DJI> 10,829,68  10,788,05     0,39      3,85
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
                                
 SOLAR POWER: CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> completed construction of its
largest solar power station with an output of nearly 30 MW and
began connecting it to the grid.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 19
                                
 
                                
 CEZ BOARD TO VOTE ON SVOBODA: Management at power group CEZ
reportedly supports reappointment of Sales Director Alan Svoboda
to the company's board of directors. Svoboda left the board five
years ago on charges of insider trading. He denied any
wrongdoing. CEZ supervisory board of will vote on his
reappointment in the middle of October, the paper writes citing
a source from the supervisory board.
                                
 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>

                                
 News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com