Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Feb 28

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MONEY SUPPLY

January money supply data are due out at 10 a.m. (0900 GMT).

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[RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]

KOMERCNI REPORTS

Komercni Banka publishes 2006 results at 10 a.m. (0900 GMT).

The biggest listed Czech lender will see only a 2.3 percent gain in 2006 net income as higher provisioning eats into profits from increased lending, a Reuters poll of analysts showed.

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CEO Laurent Goutard holds a presentation at 1 p.m. (1200 GMT) and a conference call with analysts and investors at 4 p.m. (1500 GMT).

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ERSTE RESULTS

Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen posted a better-than-expected 35 percent jump in fourth-quarter net profit on Wednesday, lifted by its eastern European business.

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Ceska Sporitelna, a unit of Erste Bank , holds a news conference with CEO Jack Stack at 9:30 a.m. (0830 GMT).

CABINET MEETING, CEZ NOT ON AGENDA

The cabinet meets in a regular weekly session. A news conference is tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. (1200 GMT).

A spokesman said the government was not going to discuss the sale of a small stake in energy producer CEZ as previously indicated.

CSOB PROFITS

The Czech unit of Belgian group KBC may need to set aside more than half of last year's profits as a provision against losing long-standing disputes over past claims with the state, a Czech newspaper reported.

Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka (CSOB), the biggest Czech lender and 97.5-percent owned by the Belgian banking and insurance group, said it knew of no request for extra provisioning and that auditors agreed with the way it accounted for the claims.

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GAS PRICES

RWE Transgas, the Czech unit of Germany's RWE , said on Tuesday that gas prices in the Czech Republic will rise on April 1 by an average of 0.43 percent.

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UNIPETROL EARNINGS TO DROP

Net profit at Czech oil group Unipetrol is expected to have shrunk by more than half last year due to refinery shutdowns and one-off charges on disposals, a Reuters poll of analysts showed.

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RESEARCH ALERT: TELEFONICA O2 CR DOWNGRADED

ING Wholesale Banking cut its recommendation on phone group Telefonica O2 Czech Republic to "hold" from "buy" while raising its target on the stock.

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TALKS ON ANTI-MISSILE SHIELD

Germany and the Czech Republic agree the United States should hold further talks with Russia on its plans to install a missile shield in central Europe, Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra said.

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The United States plans to build a missile shield in eastern Europe to protect U.S. allies from attack by Iran and it poses no threat to Russia, U.S. officials said.

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- For news on the anti-missile shield base to be built in Poland and the Czech Republic, double click on [RTRS-LEN-DIP-CZ-PL-US]

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

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]