Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Feb 16

                                
 PRAGUE, Feb 16 (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 ========================
                                
 December construction 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 Czech currency.............................[CZK/]
=========================== EVENTS =============================
                                
 PRAGUE - Representatives of the cabinet, employers and
labour unions to discuss stimulus package plan. News conference
at 0930.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]

                                
 PRAGUE - The Czech cabinet to hold a regular session.
Stimulus package plan should be on the schedule. News conference
around 1200 GMT. 
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]

                                
 PRAGUE - News conference with BusinessEurope President
Ernest-Antoine Seillier, BusinessEurope General Director
Philippe de Buck and Czech Confederation of Industry chief
Jaroslav Mil at 1415 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
============================NEWS================================
                                
 DEFICIT: The Czech public finance deficit will rise above 3
percent of gross domestic product in 2009 because of measures
designed to soften the blow of the global financial crisis,
Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said on Sunday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLF247070] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
                                
 LISBON TREATY: A new poll showed growing support for the
European Union's reform treaty in Ireland as its main backers
clashed on Sunday about the best date to hold a second
referendum on the accord. 
                                
 Story: [ID:nLF347403] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 SHIELD: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed U.S.
signals that it would review plans for a missile shield in
eastern Europe, but said the issue was not linked to Iran's
nuclear programme, media reported on Saturday.      
                                
 Story: [ID:nLE105791] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 CEZ BUYBACK: Czech power group CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> cancelled 10
percent of its shares acquired in a buyback last year, the
company said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLD846532] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG]
                                
 
                                
 FX MOSTLY DOWN: Emerging European currencies gave up early
gains on Friday, tracking euro losses after poor euro zone GDP
data and mounting evidence the region's economies are in or
nearing recession.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLD195936] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 ZENTIVA TO ISSUE NEW SHARES: The board of Czech drugmaker
Zentiva has decided to conditionally issue new shares ahead of
an expected takeover by Sanofi-Aventis <SASY.PA>, the company
said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLD179223] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG]
                                
 
                                
 UNIPETROL CEO LEAVES:  Czech refiner Unipetrol's <UNPEsp.PR>
chairman and chief executive, Francois Vleugels, resigned his
post, effective immediately, the company said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRG001247] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MAN]
                                
 
                                
 GDP SHRINKS: Hungary entered recession, the Czech economy
shrank and Slovak growth slowed sharply last quarter as the
economic crisis slammed into central Europe, dashing any hope
the EU newcomers can escape a severe downturn.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLD1361] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
                                
 
                                
 CZECH GDP SHOWS SMALLER CONTRACTION: The Czech economy
contracted less than expected in the fourth quarter but the
outlook for this year remained grim due to a collapsing demand
in the euro zone which has slashed the country's exports.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLD474699] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2009
 Czech Equities  <.PX>   723.7    723.7   +0.00          n/a 
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  28.675   28.630   +0.00         -6.57
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  22.458   22.138   -1.42        -14.91
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>   7,850    7,933   -1.04        -10.55
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
                                
 RESCUE PACKAGE: Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek and the
government's economic advisors have worked out a plan worth 40
billion crowns ($1.81 billion) to boost the economy. Measures
include tax breaks, trimming social security payments, and
speeding up depreciation.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 GOVERNMENT: Prime Minster Mirek Topolanek said he was
"somewhat" linking the fate of his government with approval of
the crisis package.
                                
 Mlada Fronta Dnes, 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)