Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on April 18

...

3-YEAR BOND SALE

The finance ministry offers a new tranche re-opening the 3-year domestic government bond through an auction.

- For auction details and results, double click on .

[RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD-ISU]

CABINET MEETING

The cabinet meets in a regular weekly session. News conference is tentatively scheduled for 12 p.m. (1000 GMT).

No market-related items are on the agenda.

[RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]

SPENDING SPREE

Retail sales grew at their fastest pace in 3-1/2-years in February, bolstering the market's view that interest rates will need to rise to keep inflation at bay in the booming economy.

[nL17410291] [nL17424874]

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

- For INSTANT VIEWs on economic data, click on [CZ/INSTANT].

REUTERS POLL: CROWN SEEN STEADY NEAR-TERM

The Czech crown is forecast to hover around current levels near 28 per euro in the next three months, but then resume its long-run uptrend to set record highs a year from now, a Reuters poll shows.

[nL17481431]

- For table of forecasts, double click on [ID:nL17462429].

- For regular updates on crown moves click on [CZK/].

SKODA AUTO WORKERS GO ON STRIKE

Workers at the Czech Republic's largest company, Volkswagen's Skoda Auto, walked out on strike on Tuesday to back a pay claim above the company's offer of about 12 percent over two years.

[nL17456898] [RTRS-LEN-CZ-VOWG.DE]

LABOUR MINISTER WARNS ON WAGES

Labor and Social Affairs Minister Petr Necas was quoted as saying in the daily Mlada fronta Dnes that demands for an above-average increase in salaries could hurt everyone and jeopardize economic growth. He added that the Czech Republic could lose competitive advantage.

TELEFONICA O2 CR DIVIDEND

Telefonica O2 Czech Republic set Sept. 10 as the record date for its proposed 2006 dividend payment.

nL17670933

RESEARCH ALERT: KOMERCNI UPS TELEFONICA O2 CR TARGET

Komercni Banka raised its target price on Czech phone group Telefonica O2 Czech Republic to 688 crowns from a previous 602 crowns while keeping a 'buy' rating on the stock.

[nL17464837] [RTRS-LEN-CZ-SPTTsp.PR]

CEZ DIVIDEND

The board of directors at power company CEZ has decided to propose a gross dividend of 20 crowns ($0.970) per share, the state-owned company said.

[nL17405598] [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEZPsp.PR]

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.

[ID:nL12317536] [ID:nL12486919] [ID:nL10504155]

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)