Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Aug 24

...GMT + 2 hours) 
 
 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ======================== 
    No economic data are due for release until second-quarter 
real wage numbers on Thursday, Aug. 30. 
    Real-time economic data releases.................... 
    Previous stories on Czech data............[CZ-RTRS-LEN-ECI] 
    Overview of economic data and forecasts......... 
 
 ========================== TOP STORY ========================== 
    C.BANKER EYES RATE HIKES: The central bank (CNB) has little 
reason for concern over the impact of global credit market 
turmoil on the domestic economy, which is growing fast with 
rising inflation, CNB policymaker Vladimir Tomsik said. He 
reminded markets of the CNB's hawkish bias, saying its forecast 
of a rebound in inflation toward the upper margin of its comfort 
zone later this year implied a further rise in interest rates. 
    Story: [nL24564257] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN-PLCY] 
    Updates on Czech currency............................[CZK/] 
 
 
 ==================== ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS ==================== 
    C.BANKER SEES "GRADUAL" RATE RISES: Interest rates will 
continue gradually rising, central bank (CNB) policymaker Mojmir 
Hampl said in an interview with the weekly newspaper Ekonom. 
    Story: [nL23317811] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN-PLCY] 
     
    C.BANK BOARD TO BE COMPLETE ON AUG. 30: All seven Czech 
central bank policymakers will attend the monthly interest 
rate-setting meeting on Aug. 30. Markets have been unsure 
whether absences will help tip the balance of a vote on interest 
rates. 
    Story: [ID:nL23240048] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN] 
     
    KOMERCNI BANKA : Wood & Company has increased its 
target price for shares in Czech lender Komercni Banka to 4,000 
crowns from a previous 3,500 crowns on expectations planned tax 
cuts will boost its profits. 
    Story: [nL23631197] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-BKOMsp.PR] 
 
 ======================= PRESS DIGEST ========================== 
    MORTGAGE RATES: Hypotecni Banka, a leading provider of 
mortgage loans, said mortgage lending rates would rise by about 
half a percentage point after the parliament scrapped the tax 
exemption on interest paid by mortgage-backed bonds. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 1 
     
    CEZ : Power utility CEZ has already invested 5.2 
billion crowns into the upgrades of coal-fired power plants in 
the northwest of the country. The total costs of the planned 
upgrades will exceed 100 billion crowns ($4.90 billion) by 2015. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 18 
     
    ECM : ECM Real Estate Investments has purchased a 
retail centre in China's Beijing and has also acquired an option 
for the acquisition of adjacent office buildings. The 
construction of the 77,000 m2 Globe Plaza retail center will 
cost $160 million. It will open in January 2009. 
    Mlada fronta Dnes 
 
 (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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