Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Jan 5

                                
 PRAGUE, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Monday:
                                
 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 - The Czech cabinet to hold a regular session. Prime
Minister Mirek Topolank should announce a government reshuffle.
News conference to follow.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]

                                
 PRAGUE - Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr
Vondra to introduce the cultural program of the Czech
Presidency. A news conference at 1030 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]

                                
 LANY - President Vaclav Klaus to meet with Prime Minister
Mirek Topolanek at 1100 GMT. Press conference to follow.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP] 
========================= TOP NEWS =============================
                                
 EU CALLS FOR END TO GAZA FIGHTING: European Union foreign
policy chiefs flew to the Middle East on Sunday to seek hope to
end fighting in the Gaza Strip that has killed hundreds and
dashed chances for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL4633018] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 GAS SUPPLIES DROP: Natural gas supplies to the Czech
Republic dropped by 5 percent on Sunday as a result of a row
between Russia and Ukraine, importer RWE Transgas <RWEG.DE>
said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL4307543] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ENR]
                                
 
                                
 CZECHS BACK OFF GAZA STANCE: The Czech EU presidency said on
Sunday its statement saying Israeli land assault in the Gaza
Strip was "defensive, not offensive" was a misunderstanding.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL4734544] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 RUSSIA-UKRAINE DISPUTE: European Union president the Czech
Republic said on Saturday it did not intend to become a
participant or mediator in gas contract disputes between Russia
and Ukraine, but urged both sides to reach an agreement soon.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL3520988] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ENR]
                                
 
                                
 GAZPROM: Negotiations over disputed gas contracts are unable
to resume because there has been no relevant response from the
Ukraine side, Russian group Gazprom's <GAZP.MM> export head
Alexander Medvedev said in Prague on Saturday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL3477433] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ENR]
                                
 
                                
 GAS DISPUTE: European Union president the Czech Republic
said on Friday the natural gas dispute between Russia and
Ukraine was a bilateral problem and it would not step in until
gas supplies to the bloc were affected.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL2236535] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ENR]
                                
 
                                
 ZLOTY WEAKENS: Poland's zloty fell around 1 percent on
Friday as other central European currencies were stable in a
thin first session of the new year.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL2175491] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 BUGET GAP MUCH LOWER: The Czech budget deficit shrunk much
more than planned in 2008, leaving the government a cushion to
tackle fallout from the global economic downturn, the Finance
Ministry said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL2204149] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 PMI: Emerging European manufacturing plunged to new lows in
December, prompting economists to say the Czechs could follow
the reeling euro zone into recession and the region's central
banks would cut rates further in the near term.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL2676933] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
                                
 BONDS: The Czech Republic plans to raise 10 billion crowns
($525.5 million) through its floating rate bond due in 2016 in a
February auction, the Finance Ministry said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA002289] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]
                                
 
                                
 RADAR: The Czechs' plan to host part of a U.S. missile
shield is as significant to Prague as NATO entry and the new
U.S. administration's stance is crucial to its approval, the
Czech prime minister told a newspaper.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL2160332] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  26.930   26.811   -0.44         -1.60
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  19.214   19.230   +0.09         -5.42
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  09,035   08,776   +2.94        -31.89
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
                                
 GOVT RESHUFFLE: Czech Prime Minister is likely to announce
bigger than expected changes in the government. He may call off
Regional Development Minister Jiri Cunek, Transportation
Minister Ales Rebicek, and Human Rights Minister Dzamila
Stehlikova.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 CEZ: CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> sales director Alan Svoboda reiterated
the group wanted to raise its gas portfolio output to 5,000 MW
by 2015. He said profits will rise in 2009.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 18
                                
 
                                
  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)