Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on April 23

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CEZ DIVIDEND

Power firm CEZ holds an annual shareholders' meeting. The board of directors has decided to propose a gross dividend of 20 crowns ($0.970) per share, after paying 15 crowns last year.

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

MISSILE SHIELD

News conference with U.S. Missile Defense Agency Director Henry A.Obering at 16:15 p.m. (1415 GMT) on the U.S. administration's plans to build part of its anti-missile shield in the Czech Republic.

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EX-FINMIN REBELS

Former Czech Finance Minister Vlastimil Tlusty told Reuters he would vote against the government's fiscal reforms unless they are beefed up or at least relabelled as mere emergency spending cuts.

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FACTBOX ON FISCAL PROPOSALS..................[ID:nL03553262]

NEW LISTING?

Within two months, AAA Auto owner Anthony James Denny will decide whether or not to list his closely-held firm on the bourse, writes the daily Mlada fronta Dnes. He wants to offer a roughly 25 percent stake in his used-car dealership, it said.

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C.BANK TURNS MORE HAWKISH

A subtle shift in Czech central bank (CNB) chief's rhetoric towards a hawkish view on inflation is giving the CNB free hand to raise interest rates before July, earlier than markets have expected.

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In a Reuters poll among 17 CNB watchers taken after Tuma's comments, all predicted stable rates next week and only two mentioned the probability of a next rate hike in the second quarter. The rest stuck to the forecast of a 25 basis point rate increase no earlier than in July [CNB/INT].

REUTERS POLL ON INTEREST RATE FORECASTS......[ID:nL19109899]

C.BANKERS' RECENT REMARKS ON POLICY..........[ID:nL19132137]

EU CONSTITUTION

Negotiations on a simplified treaty to replace the European Union's stalled constitution begin in earnest this week before a new president is elected in France, which voted against the original charter.

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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.

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

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

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