Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on May 7

                                
 PRAGUE, May 7 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Friday.
                                
 ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours)

=========================ECONOMIC DATA=========================
                                
 March foreign trade data at 0700 GMT.
                                
 March retail sales data at 0700 GMT.
                                
 March industrial and construction data at 0700 GMT.
                                
 April foreign exchange reserves 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 - Telecoms operator Telefonica O2 Czech Republic
<SPTTsp.PR>, a unit of Spain's Telefonica <TEF.MC>, to hold an
annual shareholders' meeting.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-TEL]
                                
 
==========================TOP NEWS============================
                                
 C.BANK SURPRISES WITH RATE CUT: The Czech central bank
surprised the market with a 25 basis point interest rate cut and
flagged low rates into the future on Thursday, defying analyst
forecasts for no change as the Greek crisis drags down the crown
currency.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE6441E9] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 Highlights: [ID:nLDE64513P]
                                
 Forecasts: [ID:nPRA005053]
                                
 
                                
 WATCHDOG CLEARS CEZ ACQUISITION: Czech power firm CEZ
<CEZPsp.PR> can complete the takeover of a heating plant at
Trmice from Veolia <VIE.PA> unit Dalkia, the Czech competition
watchdog said on Thursday.
                                
 Story:[ID:nPRG004105] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG]
                                
 
                                
 CEE FX FALLS FOR 5TH STRAIGT DAY: Central European
currencies fell for a fifth straight day on Thursday, with
appetite for risk low amid persistent fears that Greece's debt
crisis could spread, while a surprise interest rate hung on the
Czech crown.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE6450DL] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 WHERE EAST EU STATES STAND ON EURO ADOPTION: The European
Commission will issue a report on May 12 that analysts expect to
give a thumbs up to Estonia's bid to adopt the single European
currency in 2011.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE645075] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEEU]
                                
 
                                
 FINMIN DENIES CUT IN FOREIGN ISSUES: The Czech Finance
Ministry denied on Thursday a newspaper report that it planed to
cut euro bond issuance due to a spike in borrowing costs
following the Greek debt crisis.
                                
 Story:[ID:nLDE6450KG] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2010
 Czech Equities <.PX>   1180,2   1180,2   -1,22      5,63
vs Euro   <EURCZK=>    26,204    26,15    -0,21      0,43
vs Dollar    <CZK=>    20,606    20,585   -0,1     -12,13
 U.S. Equities <.DJI>  10520,32 10868,12  -3,2      0,88
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT

==========================PRESS DIGEST========================
                                
 CEZ DIVIDEND: Power group CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> will announce
dividend within the next two weeks, chief financial officer
Martin Novak said.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 27
                                
 
                                
 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
                                
 (Compiled by Jana Mlcochova)
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com