Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Nov 20

                                
 PRAGUE, Nov 20 (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 + 1 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 Czech currency.............................[CZK/]
======================== EVENTS ===============================
                                
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 - 13-week T-bill auction.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]

                                
 LONDON - Coal mining firm New World Resources (NWR) <NWRS.L>
<NWRSsp.PR> to release nine-month results (0700 GMT). Conference
call at 1400 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-RES]

                                
 PRAGUE - Representatives of the cabinet, employers and
labour unions to discuss health care reforms (1200 GMT).
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]

                                
PRAGUE - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek to meet his
Hungarian counterpart Ferenc Gyurcsany. News conference at 1620
GMT. 
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
========================== TOP NEWS ============================
                                
 CROWN SEEN FIRMING: The Czech crown is expected to
strengthen 1.4 percent in the next half a year, resuming an
appreciation path after months of weakness, a Reuters poll
showed. 
                                
 Story: [ID:nLK532291] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 NWR Q3 EBIT SEEN 205 PCT UP: Operating profit at Czech
mining group New World Resources (NWR) <NWRS.L> <NWRSsp.PR> is
expected to have more than tripled in the third quarter on the
back of higher coal prices, a Reuters poll showed.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLI612288] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-RESF]
                                
    
                                
 OPPOSITION EXTENDS LEAD: The Czech Republic's main
opposition party, the leftist Social Democrats, extended their
lead over the ruling right-wing group this month, an opinion
poll showed.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLI334510] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 FLOATER AUCTION: The Czech Republic sold a robust 9.87
billion crowns ($484.3 million) worth of its 8-year,
floating-rate bond to investors on Wednesday, showing signs the
local bond market is opening up.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLJ266125] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]
                                
 
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  25.750   25.684   -0.26         +2.91
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  20.562   20.097   -2.29        -11.66
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  07,997   08,425   -5.07        -39.71
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
====================== PRESS DIGEST ===========================
                                
 EU PACKAGE: Czech Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said he
was not a supporter of the European Commission's package worth
130 billion euros aimed at bolstering the bloc's economy. He
said the crisis was not asking for any specific fiscal measures.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 15
                                
 
                                
 IPOS IN PRAGUE: The head of the Prague Stock Exchange Petr
Koblic said the bourse was in talks with "one to two" companies
planning an initial public offering in Prague.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 16
                                
 
                                
 CEZ LOOKING FOR SUPPLIER: Czech power group CEZ <CEZPsp.PR>
is looking for a gas supplier for its planned gas-fired stations
and is in talks with Russia's Gazprom <GAZP.MM>, among others,
the daily reports, citing unnamed sources.
                                
 E 15, page 1
                                
    
                                
 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)