Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on May 23

                                
 PRAGUE, May 23 (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 Czech currency.............................[CZK/]
                                
 
========================= EVENTS ===============================
                                
 PRAGUE - European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) to continue.
News conference with Deputy Head of the Directorate-General for
Energy and Transportation Dominique Ristori 1100 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ELG]
                                
 
======================= TOP NEWS ===============================
                                
 NUCLEAR MAY HELP: Nuclear energy is a low-carbon source that
may help Europe in fighting climate change and raise energy
security, the head of the bloc's executive Commission, Jose
Manuel Barroso, said on Thursday.
                                
 [ID:nL22800413] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ELG]
                                
 
==================== ELSEWHERE IN NEWS =========================
                                
 BULGARIA TENDER: Bulgaria expects two shortlisted investors
to file binding bids in June for a 49 percent stake in its
planned Belene nuclear power plant and to pick a winner later
this year, Deputy Economy Minister Yavor Kuyumdjiev said on
Thursday.
                                
 [ID:L22359014] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ELG]
                                
 
                                
 BALLMER EGG ATTACK: The first thing Microsoft CEO Steve
Ballmer thought of when a Hungarian student attacked him with
eggs this week was that he had to keep his suit clean, he said
on Thursday.
                                
 [ID:L22245302] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ELG]
                                
 
====================== PRESS DIGEST ============================
                                
 CZECH-SLOVAK POWER MARKET: The Czechs and Slovaks plan to
create a joint electricity market, which would allow both
countries to better manage power supplies. The common market
could start functionning from January and would eliminate high
fees for booking of cross-border capacity.
                                
 E15, page 1
                                
 
                                
 CEZ BOARD APPOINTMENTS: Daniel Benes, an executive director
of Czech power firm CEZ <CEZPsp.PR>, became first deputy
chairman of the board, while Tomas Pleskac was appointed as
second deputy chairman.
                                
 E15, page 12
                                
 
                                
 ARBITRATION: German utility E.ON Ruhrgas <EONG.DE> and
Slovensky Plynarensky Priemysel (SPP), run by E.ON and Gaz de
France <GAZ.PA>, are considering an arbitration challenge
against the Czech state due to disputes with businessman Karel
Komarek over control in oil miner Moravske Naftove Doly.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 16
                                
 
                                
 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
(Reporting by Martin Dokoupil)