Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Oct 21

                                
 PRAGUE, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Thursday.
                                
 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/]
                                
 
=============================EVENTS============================
                                
 PRAGUE - Chemicals group Unipetrol <UNPEsp.PR>, a unit of
Poland's PKN Orlen <PKNA.WA> to present trading statement for
third quarter.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CHE]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Czech central bank governing board to hold a
regular weekly meeting. It is not scheduled to discuss monetary
policy issues.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - 39-week T-bill auction.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]
                                
 
 ============================TOP NEWS==========================
                                
 PRICE PLAN: The Czech government moved to counter the threat
of soaring electricity prices caused by a solar energy boom on
Wednesday with new taxes that will limit the price rise to 5.5
percent next year.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE69J1J3] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ENR]
                                
 
                                
 CEZ LAWSUIT: Czech power group CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> said on
Wednesday it had filed a lawsuit against mining group Czech Coal
over a contractual dispute and is demanding more than 10 billion
crowns ($561.5 million) in compensation.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE69J29C] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-JUDIC]
                                
 
                                
 FINMIN SELLS LESS: The Czech Finance Ministry sold less than
planned at a fourth straight auction on Wednesday, with demand
falling after a Eurobond issue last month and investors waiting
for more on next year's borrowing plans.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE69J14W] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]
                                
 
                                
 NEW FORECAST: Czech central bank Governor Miroslav Singer
said on Wednesday the bank would probably raise its economic
growth forecast next month but the increase would not be
dramatic.  
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE69J0XH] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
                                
 CEE MARKETS: The Hungarian forint led modest gains in
Central European currencies on Wednesday as risk appetite
returned a day after a surprise rate hike in China dented
appetite for riskier assets, dealers said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE69J11X] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CEE POWER: Czech spot power prices fell nearly 3 percent on
Wednesday as wind generation in the region was forecast to
increase. 
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE69J26X] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DRV]
                                
 
                                
 TOUGH SENTENCE: A court on Wednesday imposed the Czech
Republic's longest sentence for a racially motivated crime on
four men who firebombed a Roma family's home, leaving a
two-year-old child with burns over most of her body.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE69J0H7] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CRIM]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency    Latest     Prev   Pct change Pct change
                                
                                 close    on day     in 2010
 vs Euro    <EURCZK=>     24.494     24.513    0.08      6.93
 vs Dollar     <CZK=>     17.582     17.544   -0.22      4.33
 Czech Equities <.PX>  1,131.7    1,131.7     -0.42      1.29
 U.S. Equities <.DJI> 11,107.97  10,978.62     1.18      6.52
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT

=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
                                
 MORTGAGE RISE: Banks have lent out 58.9 billion crowns in
mortgages in the first nine months, 2 billion more than a year
ago.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, 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>

                                
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