Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Jan 19

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RETAIL SALES

November retail sales are due out at 9 a.m. (0800 GMT).

- For real-time indicator releases and market consensus forecasts, double click on .

CONFIDENCE VOTE

The centre-right coalition government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek is expected to win a confidence vote in lower house of parliament, ending months of political paralysis.

The house session opens at 9 a.m. (0800 GMT). No precise time for the vote has been scheduled.

- For most recent news on Czech politics, double click on the code in brackets: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]

- For FACTBOX on key posts in the new government, double click on [ID:nL08820235].

- For FACTBOX on key points of the coalition agreement, see [ID:nL08658091].

STORMS IN EUROPE

Winds of up to 184 kph (109 mph) swept across northern Europe on Thursday, killing at least 21 people from Britain to the Czech Republic and causing travel havoc.

[nL18256257]

CEZ SAYS 27 PCT CUSTOMERS CUT OFF

Czech power company CEZ called a state of emergency early on Friday after hurricane-force winds caused outages on a large part of its network. The state-owned utility said 27 percent of customers, or more than 1 million, were cut off from power supplies.

[nL19257881] [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEZPsp.PR]

RESEARCH ALERT: ING UPS TELEFONICA

ING said raised the 12-month ex-dividend price target on shares in Czech phone group Telefonica O2 Czech Republic to 535 crowns from 496 and kept a "buy" rating on the stock.

[nL19904480] [RTRS-LEN-CZ-SPTTsp.PR]

FOREIGN INVESTMENT

The value of investment projects arranged by the Czech investment promotion agency nearly doubled to 114.6 billion crowns ($5.33 billion) last year, the state-run CzechInvest said.

[nL18478691] [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MCE]

RATES SEEN ON HOLD UNTIL AT LEAST MARCH

The Czech central bank (CNB) is likely to keep interest rates on hold in January and delay a further rise for at least two months with inflation below target and the crown firm, a Reuters poll showed.

[nL1867905] ANALYSTS' INDIVIDUAL FORECASTS.................[ID:nL18812506] RECENT CNB POLICYMAKERS' COMMENTS..............[ID:nL1839400] WHO IS WHO ON CNB POLICY BOARD.................[ID:nL18819946]

ANALYSIS: CROWN REGAINING FUNDING STATUS

A yawning interest rate gap versus major currencies is increasingly leading investors to sell the Czech crown for high-yield emerging markets assets, leaving it vulnerable to a short-term reversal of its 2006 rally.

[ID:nL17214155]

REUTERS POLL: CROWN GAINS IN CHECK

The Czech crown is likely to hold steady versus the euro over the next three months after this month's drop from record highs, before returning to its long-term appreciation in the next 12 months, a Reuters poll showed.

[ID:nL17764323] [CZK/POLL]

- For table of forecasts, double click on [ID:nL17181830].

- For real-time economic indicators and market consensus forecasts, please double click on the following code:

[RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]

Overview of past economic data and market forecasts 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: Alan Crosby on +420 224 190 477; fax: +420 224 229 935

E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com

Reuters Messaging: alan.crosby.reuters.com@reuters.net

((Compiled by Marek Petrus; Reuters Messaging: rm://marek.petrus.reuters.com@reuters.net; e-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com or marek.petrus@reuters.com; Tel: +420 224 190 477))

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]