Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Jan 2

                                
 PRAGUE, Jan 2 (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 hour)

 ======================== 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 - Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for December due
out at 0830 GMT.
                                
 PRAGUE - End-December budget balance data and a detailed
calendar for the issuance of domestic state bonds in the second
month of 2009.

========================= TOP NEWS =============================
                                
 CZECHS TAKE EU HELM: The Czech Republic took the helm of the
European Union on Thursday and tried to allay doubts over its
ability to lead with a plan to seek a ceasefire to the deadliest
violence in the Gaza Strip in decades.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL188472] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 2008 BUDGET TO PROVIDE CUSHION: The Czech 2008 budget
deficit will be much lower than planned, giving the government a
fiscal cushion to offset the impact of the economic crisis,
Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL1734588] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
                                
 EURO TARGET DATE TO COME THIS YEAR: Czech Prime Minsiter
Mirek Topolanek said on Thursday his government would set a date
to adopt the single European currency on Nov. 1 this year.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA002286] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 RESHUFFLE NEXT WEEK: Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek
will announce a cabinet reshuffle on Monday, Jan. 5, he said on
Thursday, hours after his minority government took over the
rotating presidency of the European Union.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL110823] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 FX ENDS YEAR MIXED: Central European currencies closed mixed
in the last session of 2008, posting heavy losses for the year
as a whole when the global crisis hit the region's economies and
increased risk aversion.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLV435832] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 PUBLISHER BIDDING FOR POLISH DAILY: Czech company Respekt
Media said it has bid for the Polish government's stake in
Presspublica, a publishing house which controls a minority stake
in Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLV578693] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MDIA]
                                
 
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
                                
 PRESIDENT URGES CZECHS ON EU ELECTIONS: President Vaclav
Klaus called on Czechs to take part in this year's European
Parliament elections in his annual New Year's Day speech.
                                
 E15, page 3
                                
 
                                
 CZECH GAS SUPPLIES UNAFFECTED: Czech gas supplies have not
been affected by the dispute between Russia and Ukraine,
according to the Industry Ministry.
                                
 Pravo, 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>

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