Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on July 2

...TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours) 
 
 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ======================== 
 
    * Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for June due out at 0730. 
    * End-June budget balance central state budget balance 
 due for release at around 1200. 
    No consensus forecasts are available. 
 
    Real-time economic data releases................... 
    Previous stories on Czech data............[CZ-RTRS-LEN-ECI] 
    Overview of economic data and forecasts......... 
 
 ========================= TOP STORY =========================== 
 
    CEZ TAKES FIRM TO COURT 
    Power utility CEZ  took a key coal supplier to 
court on Friday to try to ensure long-term coal deliveries for a 
planned plant, as it faces rising competition in its home 
market. 
    Related story: [nL29260700] 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEZPsp.PR] 
 
 ==================== ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS ==================== 
 
    NEW TAX PROPOSAL 
    Lawmakers for the ruling Civic Democrats (ODS) are proposing 
that the government raise the lower, preferential value-added 
tax (VAT) rate to up to 13 percent from current 5 percent to pay 
for a deeper cut in personal income taxes than the government 
has proposed, writes the daily Mlada fronta Dnes. 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-TAX] 
     
    INDIAN INVESTMENT 
    Indian textile firm Spentex Industries Ltd.  has 
acquired yarn maker Schoeller Litvinov K.S. in the Czech 
Republic for $25 million. 
    Story: [nBOM198298] 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG] 
     
    CLINTON DERIDES SHIELD PLAN 
    Former President Bill Clinton on Friday cast doubt on the 
effectiveness of a planned U.S. missile shield, deriding it as a 
"colossal waste of money". 
    Story: [nL29791795] 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP-US] 
     
    RATES STAY ON HOLD, HIKE IN OFFING 
    The central bank (CNB) left interest rates unchanged on 
Thursday, taking a breather after a quarter of a percentage 
point rise in May to contain budding inflation pressures in the 
strong economy. 
    Governor Zdenek Tuma said the CNB had no reason to "panic" 
and hike at every monthly meeting despite a weaker crown 
currency and robust economic growth. However, he re-affirmed 
market views that credit costs would head higher in the coming 
months. 
    Related story: [ID:nL28398864] 
    HIGHLIGHTS of Tuma's comments: [ID:nL28546436] 
    Profiles of CNB board members: [ID:nL28883806] 
    Board members recent remarks on policy: [ID:nL28700042] 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-INT] 
    FACTBOX on east European rate-setting meetings: [nL22203868] 
     
 
 (Reuters has not verified any of the newspaper reports that may 
be quoted above and does not vouch for their accuracy.) 
 
 
 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  
 
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fax: +420 224 229 935 
    E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com 
    Reuters Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net 
 
  
  Keywords: CZECH FACTORS/