Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Nov 22

...Republic: GMT + 1 hours) 
 
 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ======================== 
    No economic indicators are due for release until 
third-quarter wage data on Nov. 27. 
    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 ========================== 
    UNCERTAIN RATE OUTLOOK: Analysts are almost evenly split on 
whether the Czech central bank (CNB) will raise interest rates 
next week even though the crown has risen to record levels, a 
Reuters poll showed. 
    Story: [nL21649255] Related news: [CNB/INT] 
    TABLE with analysts' rate forecasts.............[nL21685755] 
 
 =========================== EVENTS ============================ 
    C.BANK NON-POLICY MEETING: The central bank (CNB) governing 
board holds a regular weekly meeting. It is not scheduled to 
discuss monetary policy issues. The CNB rarely releases any 
statement after its non-policy meetings. 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN] 
     
    TREASURY BILLS: The Finance Ministry offers a tranche of 
13-week Treasury bills in an auction to be conducted by the 
central bank. 
    For auction details and results, click on . 
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ 
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change 
                                 close   on day       in 2007 
 Czech Equities   1,728.2  1,767.1   -2.20         +8.77 
 vs Euro       26.800   26.810   +0.04         +2.61 
 vs Dollar        18.040   18.068   +0.11        +15.36 
 U.S. Equities    12,799   13,010   -1.62         +2.70 
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 
 
 ==================== ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS ==================== 
    LOW BIDS AT 50-YR BOND SALE: The Czech Republic failed to 
place some of its inaugural 50-year government bond on 
Wednesday, as foreign investors shunned the offering on growing 
concerns about investment in riskier assets. 
    Story: [nL21147857] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD-ISU] 
     
    OPPOSITION WIDENS LEAD: The Czech leftist opposition widened 
its lead over the ruling right-wing Civic Democrats (ODS) to 6.3 
percent, by far the widest gap since the 2006 election, an 
opinion poll showed. 
    Story: [nL21143537] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL] 
 
 ======================= PRESS DIGEST ========================== 
    HEINEKEN EYES CZECH ACQUISITION: Amsterdam-based Heineken 
 is close to signing an agreement to acquire Czech beer 
and spirits maker Drinks Union for an unspecified price, 
according to two industry sources quoted by the daily Mlada 
Fronta Dnes. The Czech group had revenues of 1.2 billion crowns 
($66.37 million) last year and a recent expert apprail put its 
value at some 500 million crowns. 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-HEIN.AS] 
     
    WEB PORTALS UP FOR SALE: Two of the largest Czech Web 
portals, Atlas (www.atlas.cz) and Centrum (www.centrum.cz), have 
put themselves up for sale and launched talks with potential 
investors. Unnamend industry sources say Centrum could fetch 3 
billion crowns ($165.9 million), while Atlas could be sold for 2 
billion crowns. Television broadcaster Central European Media 
Enterprises  is a likely bidder for at least 
one of the portals. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 1 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG] 
     
 
 
 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: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 477; 
fax: +420 224 229 935 
    E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com 
    Reuters Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net 
 
 (Compiled by Marek Petrus) 
  
 ($1=18.08 Czech Crown) 
  Keywords: CZECH FACTORS/ 
    

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]