Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Dec 12

...Republic: GMT + 1 hours) 
 
 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ======================== 
    CURRENT ACCOUNT: The central bank releases October current 
account balance at 0900. Analysts polled by Reuters forecast a 
16.4 billion crown deficit for the month after a 5.8 billion 
crowns shortfall in September. 
    Real-time economic data releases.................... 
 
 -------------------- RELEASED INDICATORS ---------------------- 
    INDUSTRY OUTPUT RECOVERY: Industrial output growth picked up 
to 8.4 percent year-on-year in October, posting a sharper than 
expected recovery from the previous month's slowdown. 
    Instant View: [ID:nL11393445] 
    Previous stories on Czech data.............[CZ-RTRS-LEN-ECI] 
    Overview of economic data and forecasts.......... 
    Updates on Czech currency.............................[CZK/] 
 
 ========================== TOP STORY ========================== 
    PM ON CROWN: The rise of the crown to record highs helps to 
offset high energy prices and companies can cope with it, Prime 
Minister Mirek Topolanek told Reuters in an interview. 
    Story: [nL11343770] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX] 
 
 =========================== EVENTS ============================ 
    CABINET MEETING: The cabinet meets in a regular weekly 
session. No market-related items are officially on the agenda. 
News conference is tentatively scheduled for 1300. 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POLD] 
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ 
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change 
                                 close   on day       in 2007 
 Czech Equities   1,839.4  1,855.8   -0.88        +15.77 
 vs Euro       26.050   26.020   -0.12         +5.57 
 vs Dollar        17.683   17.693   +0.06        +17.75 
 U.S. Equities    13,433   13,727   -2.14         +7.78 
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 
 
 ==================== ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS ==================== 
    GOVT SCRAPS ARMY CONTRACT: The Czech Republic has scrapped a 
contract to buy armored personnel carriers from a unit of 
General Dynamics Corp  for the equivalent of $1.3 billion. 
    Story: [nL1119161] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DEF] 
     
    RATE HIKE ON CARDS: The central bank (CNB) may raise 
interest rates as early as next week after inflation surged well 
above its forecast to a six-year high, CNB Vice-Governor 
Miroslav Singer was quoted as saying. 
    Story: [nL11471233] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN] 
 
 ======================= PRESS DIGEST ========================== 
    ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UPS: The Finance Ministry wants to speed 
up environmental clean-ups at former state companies by 
announcing a single tender that could be worth 120 billion 
crowns and be the biggest single government contract ever. 
    Mlada fronta Dnes, page 1 
 
 
 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) 
  
  Keywords: CZECH FACTORS/ 
    

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]