PRAGUE, March 10 (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............................[]
============================EVENTS=============================== PRAGUE - 26-week T-bill auction.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - Czech central bank governing board to hold a
regular weekly meeting. It is not scheduled to discuss monetary
policy issues.
Related news: []
============================TOP NEWS===========================
GOVT TO COMPENSATE FOR HIGHER HEALTHCARE COSTS: The Czech
government is reviewing options for ensuring the state health
sector is compensated for extra costs it will incur under plans
to hike the Nsales tax on medicines and medical items.
Story: [] Related news: []
CME'S CHIEF BUYS SHARES: Central European Media Enterprises
Chief Financial Officer David Sach <> <CETV.O> bought
11,500 shares in the broadcaster for $19.96 per share, a
regulatory filing showed.
Story: [] Related news: []
GOVT TO REPLACE STOLEN CARBON CREDITS: The Czech government
will supply state-owned utility CEZ <> and a local
trader with around 18.2 million euros worth of carbon permits to
replace the ones stolen from them in January, Prime Minister
Petr Necas said on Wednesday.
Story: [] Related news: []
GOOD DEMAND FOR NEW CZECH BOND: The Czech Finance Ministry
sold all it planned in an auction of a government bond due in
2021 on Wednesday, with the long-dated maturity attracting hefty
demand after a series of short-dated sales.
Story: [] Related news: []
C.BANK SAYS FCAST STANDS DESPITE LOW CPI: Czech inflation
was below the central bank's forecast in February mainly due to
food prices, but despite the deviation the bank stuck to its
overall forecast, it said on Wednesday.
Story: [] Related news: []
HAVEL TO STAY IN HOSPITAL: Former Czech President Vaclav
Havel will spend several days in hospital due to a fresh bout of
his chronic respiratory illness, the Prague Central Military
Hospital said on Wednesday.
Story: [] Related news: []
CPI BELOW FCASTS, RATE HIKE UNLIKELY IN MARCH: Czech
consumer prices rose less than expected in February and real
wages dropped in the fourth quarter, dampening expectations that
the central bank will rush to raise interest rates.
Story: [] Related news: []
FOREIGN TRADE, CPI, WAGES: Czech consumer prices rose by a
lower-than-expected 0.1 percent on the month in February,
putting the annual rate at 1.8 percent and prompting analysts to
say the central bank was under no pressure to raise rates soon.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE MARKETS: Emerging European currencies eased further on
Wednesday, including the Czech crown as weak inflation data
prompted investors to scale back Czech rate rise expectations.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE POWER: Warmer temperatures and a big jump in wind
production drove Czech spot power down 10 percent on Tuesday,
though lower supply in the transmission grid kept prices from
falling further, traders said.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2011
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 24.311 24.304 -0.03 2.76
vs Dollar <CZK=> 17.511 17.475 -0.21 6.2
Czech Equities <> 1,220.2 1,220.2 0.08 -0.38
U.S. Equities <> 12,213.09 12,214.38 -0.01 5.49
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT
==========================PRESS DIGEST=========================
TALKS OF VAT CHANGE STILL OPEN: Officials from the leading
coalition party ODS and conservative coalition partner TOP 09
said they would accept a single 18 percent value added tax rate
(VAT). At the moment the proposal is to merge the lower 10
percent rate with the upper 20 percent, which is criticised by
some politicians and analysts. TOP 09 official Petr Gazdik said
the party was ready to drop its demand that books are kept in
the lower 10 percent rate if junior coalition party Public
Affairs (VV) drops its demand for the reduced rate on basic food
items. Public Affairs will propose at a coalition meeting on
Thursday to raise the lower 10 percent rate to 13 percent or
possibly 15 percent, or perhaps the centrist party will propose
three tax bands, including a zero rate.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 4, Pravo, page 1
SAZKA: A court released a preliminary injunction against
Sazka disposing of its assets exceeding 500,000 million crowns
without the approval of the preliminary banruptcy receiver. The
move will prevent Sazka from taking a planned 2.5 billion loan.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 13
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
For Instant Views of key economic data click on
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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:
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