Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on March 24

                                
 PRAGUE, March 24 (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 hour)

======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
                                
 January retail sales 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 a vote of
no-confidence initiated by the leftist opposition (1300 GMT).
staffing, snapping, trunk, updates.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-REA]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko to visit the
Czech Republic. News briefing at 1130 GMT. staffing, PRA cover.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-REA]

                                
 PRAGUE - Conference with Czech central bank (CNB) Governor
Zdenek Tuma, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, Slovak
National Bank Governor Ivan Sramko, Federal Reserve Bank of
Chicago President Charles L. Evans, Ukrainian President Victor
Yushchenko, and Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs
Alexandr Vondra
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-REA]
============================NEWS================================
                                
 CONFIDENCE VOTE:  Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek faces
his toughest test so far as the opposition prepares to dismiss
the cabinet in a no-confidence vote on Tuesday, midway through
his country's EU presidency.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN313507] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 PM TO WOO DEPUTIES AS SURVIVAL VOTE LOOMS: Czech Prime
Minister Mirek Topolanek said on Monday he would seek support
from independent deputies to avoid losing a no-confidence vote
on Tuesday, and said an early election may be called if the
government falls.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN590749] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 FORINT RECOVERS: Hungary's forint slipped on Monday but
recovered early losses, with investors on edge after Hungary's
prime minister offered to step down, opening the door to a
government change in the recession-hit EU member.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN2980] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CSA SALE: The Czech Finance Ministry closed the first round
of Czech Airlines CSA privatisation tender on Monday receiving
four preliminary bids.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN453163] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG]
                                
 
                                
 SKODA SALES: Czech Volkswagen AG <VOWG.DE> unit Skoda Auto
expects unit sales to show a single-digit drop this year and the
car maker should still perform better than the global market,
its board member said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN410284] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-RES]
                                
 
                                
 TIME WARNER TO INVEST IN CME: Time Warner <TWX.N> will
invest $241.5 million in Central European Media Enterprises
(CME) <CETV.O> <CETVsp.PR>, boosting CME with cash proceeds as
it navigates an economic slowdown in its markets.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN391585] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG]
                                
 
                                
 OUTPUT PLUMMETS: Czech industrial output plunged
by 23.3 percent year-on-year in January, more than forecast and
almost double a revised 12.8 percent fall in December, data
showed.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN99883] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
                                
 GDP MAY DROP: The Czech economy could contract by up to 2
percent in 2009 if the recession in western Europe worsens,
central bank chief Zdenek Tuma was quoted as saying on Monday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN212164] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 0,000.0  0,764.9   +0.00       -100.00
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  26.780   24.965   -6.78         -1.05
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  19.586   18.447   -5.81         -7.22
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  07,776   07,278   +6.84        -41.38
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
===========================PRESS DIGEST=========================
                                
 ECM SHOW LOSS: Developer ECM <ECMPsp.PR> showed a 92.1
million euro loss for 2008. Net asset value dropped 43 percent
to 140 million euro. The company said results were impacted by a
financial markets crisis.
                                
 Lidove Noviny, page 14
                                
 
                                
 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 Jana Mlcochova)