Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Oct 18

...Republic: GMT + 2 hours) 
 
 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ======================== 
    August retail sales data  are due out at 0700. 
The market consesus forecast is for an 8 percent annual rise, 
following an 8.9 percent advance a month earlier. 
    Real-time economic data releases.................... 
    Previous stories on Czech data.............[CZ-RTRS-LEN-ECI] 
    Overview of economic data and forecasts.......... 
    Updates on Czech currency.............................[CZK/] 
 
 ========================== TOP STORY ========================== 
    LUKEWARM TOWARDS EURO: The Czech Republic should carefully 
weigh the timing of euro adoption to avoid damaging its economy, 
central bank (CNB) board member Pavel Rezabek said on Wednesday, 
confirming the country's lukewarm stance on common currency. 
   Story: [nL17218856] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN-PLCY] 
 
 =========================== EVENTS ============================ 
    NON-POLICY C.BANK MEETING: The central bank's governing 
board holds a regular weekly meeting. It is not scheduled to 
discuss monetary policy issues. The bank usually does not 
release any statements following its non-policy meetings. 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN] 
     
    T-BILL AUCTION: The finance ministry offers a trachne of the 
13-week Treasury bills in an auction to be conducted by the the 
central bank. 
    For auction and results, double click on . 
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ 
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change 
                                 close   on day       in 2007 
 Czech Equities   1,892.2  1,886.3   +0.31        +19.09 
 vs Euro       27.451   27.475   +0.09         +0.18 
 vs Dollar        19.276   19.343   +0.31         +7.97 
 U.S. Equities    13,893   13,913   -0.15        +11.47 
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 
 
 ==================== ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS ==================== 
    BUDGET DEBATE ADJOURNED: The lower house of Czech parliament 
adjourned until next Tuesday a debate on a 2008 budget draft 
that aims to bring the country's public finance deficit into 
line with European Union fiscal rules. 
    Story: [nL17528041] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD-POL] 
     
    GREENSPAN ON DOLLAR: Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan 
Greenspan sees no imminent danger in the weakening of the U.S. 
dollar, a Czech newspaper quoted him as telling a closed-door 
conference in Prague via a video link. 
    Story: [nN17595673] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-FED] 
     
    CEZ EYES BALKANS, TURKEY: Power company CEZ  is 
considering building gas-powered power plants in Romania and 
Bulgaria and is leading talks to pick a partner for the Turkish 
market, the company's business development director said. 
    Story: [nL17358918]  
    CEZ IN BULGARIA:  CEZ submitted an indicative offer for a 49 
percent stake in a planned 2,000 megawatt nuclear power plant in 
Bulgaria on Wednesday. 
    Story: [nL17354793] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEZPsp.PR] 
 
    COAL MINING VENTURE: Coal mining group New World Resources 
(NWR) have agreed to join forces with Polish state-owned company 
Jastrzebska Spolka Weglowa (JSW) to develop mines in southern 
Poland, the two companies said. 
    Story: [nL17178234] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MIN] 
 
 ======================= PRESS DIGEST ========================== 
    CZECH BAWAG UP FOR SALE: Austrian bank Bawag intends to sell 
its subsidiaries in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The bank 
has hired Lehman Brothers to advise on the sale of Czech Bawag 
Bank, the ninth largest bank on the domestic market, and Slovak 
Istrobanka. Analysts expect the sale to fetch 7-9 billion crowns 
($360.1-$463 million). Raiffeisenbank, Axa, Banco Popolare di 
Verona, and HSBC Bank could be among the suitors. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 15 
 
 
 (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] 
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 Warsaw WIG20   Budapest BUX   Prague PX  
 
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 ($1=19.44 Czech Crown) 
  Keywords: CZECH FACTORS/ 
    

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]