Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on March 4

                                
 PRAGUE, March 4 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Tuesday:
                                
 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 ===============================
                                
 CENTRAL BANKER SPEAKS: Central bank chief Zdenek Tuma was
due to speak at a 0730 business breakfast.
                                
 
                                
 PM SPEAKS ON ENERGY: Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek was due
to open an energy conference at 0800 GMT.
                                
 
========================= TOP NEWS =============================
                                
 CROWN HITS NEW HIGH: The crown firmed to a new record high
to the euro <EURCZK=> of 24.86 on Monday as the dollar dropped
on world markets.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL03821286] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 UNIONS ON STRIKE ALERT: The biggest Czech union group with
over half a million members went on a strike alert on Monday
over the government's tax and social reforms, signalling rare
labour trouble in the central European country.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL03460777] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
  INFLATION SEEN FLAT: Czech consumer price growth probably
cooled in February after a surge to nine-year highs, a Reuters
poll showed.
                                
 The survey of 14 analysts showed average expectation of a
0.2 percent monthly consumer price rise, which would keep the
year-on-year inflation rate flat at 7.5 percent, the January
peak.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL03426960] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
====================== ELSEWHERE IN NEWS =======================
                                
 BUDGET SLIPS INTO DEFICIT: The Czech central state budget
showed a deficit of 4.97 billion crowns ($300.5 million) for
January-February.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA001788] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
                                
 BOND CALENDAR: The Czech Republic plans to raise 46 billion
crowns ($2.76 billion) through medium and long-dated local
currency government bonds in April-June.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL03164353] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,522.7  1,566.0   -2.77        -16.11
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  24.880   24.925   +0.18         +6.51
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  16.360   16.388   +0.15        +11.04
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  12,259   12,266   -0.06         -7.58
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
                                
 (Reuters has not verified any of the newspaper reports that
may be quoted above and does not vouch for their accuracy.)

====================== PRESS DIGEST ============================
                                
 NEW SKODA: Skoda Auto <VOWG.DE> will start selling the new
version of the Superb limousine in June, with starting price of
619,900 crowns.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 16.
                                
 
                                
 RETAIL DEAL: Germany's Rewe bought 146 Plus stores from
Tengelmann.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1.
                                
 
                                
 CZECHS MAY BACK OFF IN CO2 DISPUTE: Environment Minister
Martin Bursik said in Brussels the Czechs should take back a
lawsuit filed against the EU over carbon dioxide emission
allowances.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 5.
                                
 
                                
 FORMIN MAY STAY: Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg may
stay in the cabinet despite the planned return of Regional
Development Minister Jiri Cunek. Cunek was cleared of corruption
allegations but Schwarzenberg had demanded he presents further
proofs of innocence. The dispute raised tensions in the ruling
coalition.
                                
 Mlada fronta Dnes, page 1.
                                
     
 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