Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Aug 17

...GMT + 2 hours) 
 
 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ======================== 
    June retail sales  data are due out at 0700 GMT. 
The market expects a 6.5 percent real year-on-year rise. 
    Real-time economic data releases.................... 
    Previous stories on Czech data.............[CZ-RTRS-LEN-ECI] 
    Overview of economic data and forecasts.......... 
 
 ========================== TOP STORIES ======================== 
    FISCAL REFORMS: MP Vlastimil Tlusty threatened to vote 
against the government's fiscal reform package next week unless 
it is changed to avoid a tax rise for some employees in 2009. 
    Story: [ID:nL16763870] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL-GVD] 
    FACTBOX on proposed measures: [nL15325895] 
    Tlusty has the backing of several other members of 
parliament. 
    Lidove Noviny, page 1. 
     
    CROWN JUMPS: The Czech crown jumped by more than 1 percent 
versus the euro on Thursday, hitting 7-month highs as a flight 
from risk triggered another bout of buying in European emerging 
markets' safe haven currency. 
    Story: [ID:nL16346082] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]  
    Updates on Czech currency.............................[CZK/] 
     
 ======================= CZECH PRESS =========================== 
    CENTRAL BANKER SPEAKS: Central bank Vice-Governor Ludek 
Niedermayer says he cannot imagine a state organ that could not 
cut costs immediately by 10 percent. He said the country should 
run a budget surplus at a time of strong economic growth. He 
said a shift to indirect taxes from direct taxes, planned by the 
government, was correct. 
    Also, Niedermayer said he was not worried by the world 
market turmoil, because Czech fundamentals were positive apart 
from fiscal numbers. 
   Hospodarske Noviny, page 8. 
 
   GAS PRICES: Natural gas prices for Czech households will rise 
by several percent in the autumn and by another up to 120 
percent in January due to higher oil prices., according to gas 
importer RWE Transgas . 
   Pravo, page 1. 
 
 (Reuters has not verified any of the newspaper reports that may 
be quoted above and does not vouch for their accuracy.) 
 
 
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 For summary of economic data and forecasts           
 For diary of forthcoming Czech events                [CZ/DIARY] 
 For calendar of east European economic indicators  [CONV/DIARY] 
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    E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com 
    Reuters Messaging: alan.crosby.reuters.com@reuters.net 
 
 

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]