Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on March 31

                                
 PRAGUE, March 31 (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 + 2 hour)

======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
                                
 February money supply and Q4 foreign debt data at 0800 GMT.
                                
 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 - The lower house of parliament to hold an
extraordinary session. It is scheduled to discuss the ownership
of Letiste Praha, the state-run operator of the Prague
international airport (1200 GMT).
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - The lower house of parliament to continue its
session.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Conference "Economic Crisis in the Czech Republic"
with Czech central bank (CNB) Vice-Governor Miroslav Singer
(1315 GMT).
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Developer ORCO <ORCO.PA> <ORCOsp.PR> should release
2008 results.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-REA]
                                
 
===========================TOP NEWS===========================
                                
 SERVICE TAX: The Czech government on Monday approved cutting
the value added tax (VAT) paid in much of the service sector in
a bid to support employment as the economic slowdown
accelerates.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLU549887] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
                                
 CEE FX FALL: The forint slid on Monday when Standard &
Poor's cut Hungary's rating to one notch above junk, and
investors' risk aversion overshadowed the choice of the
country's new prime minister to lead it out of crisis.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLU209389] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CZECHS SELL CO2 CREDITS: The Czech Republic will sell 40
million tonnes of surplus greenhouse gas emissions rights to
Japan in a government-to-government deal, the European country's
Environment Ministry said on Monday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLU463498] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CO2]
                                
 
                                
 PHILIP MORRIS CR PROFIT DOWN: Net profit at Czech tobacco
group Philip Morris CR <TBAKsp.PR> dropped to 1.53 billion
crowns ($73.59 million) in 2008 from 2.42 billion the year
before, the company said on Monday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA002464] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CIGS]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2009
 Czech Equities  <.PX>   745.1    745.1   +0.00       -100.00
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  27.600   27.600   +0.00         -2.93
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  20.771   20.803   +0.15         -8.00
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>   7,522    7,776   -3.27        -14.29
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT

===========================PRESS DIGEST=========================
                                
 POLITICAL HORSE TRADING: The government agreed to debate the
opposition Social Democrats' plans to introduce a 25,000 crown
($1,203) scrap subsidy in parliament. In exchange, the
opposition agreed to consider government plans to lower social
security tax.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 SKODA LOOKING AT SATURDAY SHIFTS: Skoda Auto, a unit of
Volkswagen <VOWG.DE>, is considering re-introducing a Saturday
production shift to meet rising demand.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 15
                                
 
                                
 BANKS' PROFIT LOWER: Profit at Czech banks and savings banks
dropped 2.8 percent to 45.66 billion crowns ($2.20 billion) last
year.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 17
                                
 
                                
 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)