Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on April 17

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RETAIL SALES

February retail sales, due out at 9 a.m. (0700 GMT), will be watched by markets for further clues about the strength of household demand, which has become the engine of economic growth.

- For real-time economic data releases and market consensus forecasts, double click on the code in brackets:

PRODUCER PRICES

Industrial producer prices rose by a faster-than-expected 0.5 percent in March from February, lifting the annual increase to 3.6 percent, its highest level in nearly two years.

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CROWN RANGEBOUND

The Czech crown hugged a narrow range within sight of the 28 per euro level on Monday, after strong March producer prices bolstered the market's view that interest rates will rise later this year.

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- For previous updates on crown moves click on [CZK/]

SKODA AUTO WORKERS GO ON STRIKE

Unions at the Czech Republic's largest company, Volkswagen's Skoda Auto, went on strike over pay on Tuesday.

Newspapers report the strike will prevent Skoda from making a single of its usual 2,500 vehicles on Tuesday, which will result in losses of roughly 55 million crowns ($2.67 million) for the firm.

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Skoda Auto, the Czech unit of Volkswagen AG , increased unit sales 15.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter to 149,926 vehicles.

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REUTERS POLL: EURO ENTRY DELAYS

High inflation, budget deficits and flagging enthusiasm among some of the European Union's largest newcomers to push through reforms means further delays to some countries' euro entry are likely, a Reuters poll shows.

The poll pointed to Czech Republic joining in 2012, unchanged from the last poll, in November.

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RESEARCH ALERT: KBC/PATRIA CUTS TARGET ON PHILIP MORRIS

KBC/Patria has cut its target price on Czech cigarette maker Philip Morris CR by 13.2 percent to 10,537 crowns but kept a 'buy' rating on the stock.

[nL16101075] [RTRS-LEN-CZ-TABKsp.PR]

TEMELIN SUFFERS DELAY

Nuclear power station Temelin, owned by power company CEZ , has had to delay re-connecting its 1,000 megawatt Unit 1 to the power grid by about a week after a glitch on a generator in the non-nuclear part of the plant.

[nL16714669] [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEZPsp.PR]

INTERVIEW: C.BANKER SEES NO OVERHEATING

The economy is stronger than the central bank (CNB) had expected three months ago but shows no signs of overheating that would prompt an increase in interest rates, Robert Holman, one of the CNB's policymakers, told Reuters in an interview.

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The Czech Republic should avoid fixing a target date for euro adoption before containing a fiscal deficit and closing the wealth gap on the richer euro zone core, Holman said.

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For overview of economic data and forecasts click on For Instant Views of key economic data click on [CZ/INSTANT] For summary of economic data and forecasts 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

For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX

News editor of the day: Alan Crosby on +420 224 190 477; fax: +420 224 229 935

E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com

Reuters Messaging: alan.crosby.reuters.com@reuters.net

($1=20.62 Czech Crown)