Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on May 21

                                
 PRAGUE, May 21 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Wednesday:
                                
 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 - Power firm CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> to hold an annual
shareholders' meeting. Shareholders to debate payment of 40
crown-per-share dividend, buy-back plans and changes to option
programme for top managers.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ELG]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - 5-year government bond auction <CZ1001887=>.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]
                                
 
                                
 TEPLICE - The Czech cabinet to hold a regular session. News
conference seen at 1215 GMT. Ministers to debate a NATO project
to buy military airlifters.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Conference "Emission (CO2) Trading".
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CO2]
                                
 
======================= TOP NEWS ===============================
                                
 J&T TO SELL ZENTIVA STAKE: Czech-Slovak private equity group
J&T plans to sell its minority stake in Czech generic drugs
maker Zentiva <ZNTVsp.PR> to Generali PPF Holding <GASI.MI>,
daily E15 quoted a source as saying on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nL2036616] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DRU]
                                
 
                                
 NUCLEAR POWER: CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> should prepare itself to
build new nuclear reactors in the Czech Republic to ensure
stable power supplies after 2020, Chief Production Officer
Vladimir Hlavinka said on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nL20722182] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ELG]
                                
 
                                
 UNIONS CALL STRIKE: Czech unions said on Tuesday they would
hold a one-hour strike on June 24 to protest against the
centre-right government's health, pension and welfare reforms. 
                                
 [ID:nL20119285] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 CROWN SEEN LOWER: The Czech crown is expected to weaken 2.5
percent over the next 6 months on dividend payments but return
to an appreciating trend at a slightly firmer trajectory than
previously expected, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nL20773580] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 Table [ID:nL20772416]
                                
 
==================== ELSEWHERE IN NEWS =========================
                                
 AERO SUBMITS BID: Romania has received three binding bids in
the sale of the state's majority stake in aircraft maker Avioane
Craiova, privatisation agency AVAS said on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nL20364054] Related News: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-AER]
                                
 
                                
 GOVT PARTY GAINS: The Czech Republic's ruling right-wing
Civic Democrats (ODS) narrowed a gap behind the main leftist
opposition party, the Social Democrats (CSSD), a poll showed on
Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nL20144822] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
====================== PRESS DIGEST ============================
                                
 NEW STEEL MILLS: Czech businessman Karel Komarek plans to
build a new steel mill worth billions of crowns in the
north-east of the country, whose 55 MW electric furnace would
equal ones of the country's biggest steel mills owned by
ArcelorMittal <ISPA.AS>.
                                
 Mlada Fronta Dnes, B1
                                
 
                                
 CZECH DIVIDENDS: Czech companies will pay record dividends
from last year's profit worth a combined 200 billion crowns
($12.44 billion), compared with 150 billion last year.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 U.S. RADAR DEAL: The Czechs could sign a treaty with the
United States to site a U.S. radar base in the country in June
or July, Czech foreign and defence ministry officials said.
                                
 E15, page 3
                                
 
                                
 AAA AUTO RESULTS: Czech used-car dealership AAA Auto
<AAAAsp.PR> will announce its first quarter results on May 30,
one day later than previously scheduled.
                                
 E15, page 14
                                
 
                                
 ORCO INVESTMENT: Real estate developer Orco Property Group
<ORCO.PA> <ORCOsp.PR> sealed a deal to buy a 54,000 square-meter
shopping centre in Moscow for un undisclosed price.
                                
 E15, page 14
                                
 
                                
 CSA PASSENGER NUMBERS: Czech Airlines' (CSA), slated for
privatisation later this year, passenger numbers rose 2.7
percent to 1.6 million in January-April.
                                
 E15, page 12
                                
 
                                
 CARGO RATES: Road cargo rates are expected to rise by 2-3
crowns per kilometer on average due to surging fuel prices.
                                
 E15, 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 +420 224 190 477;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
(Reporting by Martin Dokoupil)