PRAGUE, Dec 23 (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.............[]
Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
Updates on CEE currencies............................[]
=============================TOP NEWS===========================
POLES, CZECHS LEAVE RATES FLAT: The Polish and Czech central
banks both left interest rates on hold on Wednesday as expected,
citing low inflationary and wage pressures, but Warsaw signalled
that monetary tightening may not be far off.
Story: [] Related news: []
Czech story: []
Czech highlights: []
FORTUNA OWNER MAKES OFFER FOR LOTTERY RIVAL: Penta
Investments, the majority owner of Czech betting company Fortuna
<FOREsp.PR>, has offered to buy the main Czech lottery operator
Sazka, a partner at the financial group said on Wednesday.
Story: [] Related news: []
EC TO LOOK AT CZECH GRAFT: The European Commission will look
into whether European Union funds were abused in an alleged
corruption scandal at the Czech environment ministry that almost
led to a government collapse.
Story: [] Related news: []
GOVT NOT READY FOR EURO DATE: The Czech government said on
Wednesday it was not ready to set a euro adoption date, sticking
with finance ministry and central bank recommendations not to
rush into the euro zone.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE MARKETS: Poland's zloty and the Czech crown were little
changed on Wednesday after the two countries' central banks
left key interest rates on hold at record low levels, as
expected.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEZ AGREES ASSET SWAP DEAL WITH EPH: Czech power group CEZ
<> said it had agreed to sell its Chvaletice power
plant to energy holding EPH and in exchange acquire a heat
distribution system in the north of the country.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE POWER: Czech day ahead market prices fell to 48 euros on
Wednesday from 59 euros on Tuesday as trade and demand get
thinner ahead of upcoming Christmas holidays.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2010
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 25,284 25,241 -0,17 3,93
vs Dollar <CZK=> 19,226 19,28 0,28 -4,62
Czech Equities <> 1,223,7 1,223,7 0,8 9,52
U.S. Equities <> 11,559,49 11,533,16 0,23 10,85
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT
==========================PRESS DIGEST=========================
PIRATELEAKS: A small Czech political party the Pirate Party
launched on Wednesdsay a new Web site pirateleaks.cz, the local
alternative of WikiLeaks.
E15, 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
[]
For summary of economic data and forecasts <CZ/ECON01>
For diary of forthcoming Czech events []
For calendar of east European economic indicators []
TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets []
TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch []
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 <> Budapest BUX <> Prague PX <>
News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474;
fax: +420 224 229 935
E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
