Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Oct 25

    PRAGUE, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press 
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial 
markets on Thursday: 
    ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours) 
 
 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ======================== 
    No economic data are due for release until September money 
supply statistics <CZM2Y=ECI> on Oct. 31. 
 
    Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONCZ> 
 
    Previous stories on Czech data.............[CZ-RTRS-LEN-ECI] 
    Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15> 
    Updates on Czech currency.............................[CZK/] 
 
 ========================== TOP STORY ========================== 
    INTEREST RATE DECISION: The Czech crown's rise to record 
levels has reduced the chance of an interest rate rise on 
Thursday, despite central bank (CNB) concerns over resurgent 
inflation. 
    Markets widely expect CNB policymakers to hold the benchmark 
two-week repo rate at 3.25 percent <CZCBIR=ECI> for the second 
straight month at Thursday's monthly meeting. 
    An interest rate announcement is expected sometime after 
1000 with a news conference to follow at 1330 GMT. 
    Story: [nL24187792] 
    POLICYMAKERS' MOST RECENT STATEMENTS.........[ID:nL24295673] 
    PROFILES OF CNB BOARD MEMBERS................[ID:nL24214784] 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN-INT] 
 
 =========================== EVENTS ============================ 
    EBRD PRESIDENT: Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, Czech 
Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek and the European Bank for 
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) President Jean Lemierre 
hold a news conference at 0615. 
     
    TELEFONICA EARNINGS: Telecoms operator Telefonica O2 Czech 
Republic <SPTTsp.PR>, a unit of Spain's Telefonica <TEF.MC>, 
releases nine-month results at 1400. Conference call with 
investors at 1530 GMT. 
     
    FOREIGN MINISTERS: Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek 
meets Foreign Ministers of the four Visegrad countries (Poland, 
Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia) and Moldovan Foreign 
Minister Andrei Stratan at 1430. 
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ 
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change 
                                 close   on day       in 2007 
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,872.6  1,867.6   +0.27        +17.86 
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  27.250   27.166   -0.31         +0.92 
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  19.053   19.088   +0.15         +9.24 
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  13,675   13,676   -0.01         +9.73 
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 
 
 ==================== ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS ==================== 
    COALITION UNITED: The Czech government defeated on Wednesday 
an attempt to split the centre-right coalition over the future 
of nuclear power. 
    Story: [nL24600755] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL] 
     
    CROWN DENTS SKODA PROFIT: The record strength of the Czech 
crown will cost Volkswagen's <VOWG.DE> Czech Skoda Auto unit 
several billion crowns in lost profits this year, the carmaker 
said. 
    Story: [nL24106901] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-VOWG.DE] 
     
    UNIPETROL PROFIT TO SUFFER: A protracted shutdown at a main 
refinery will cut core earnings at Czech oil group Unipetrol 
<UNPEsp.PR> by several hundred million crowns, a Unipetrol 
spokeswoman said. 
    Story: [nL24729340] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-UNPEsp.PR] 
     
    CZECHS WANT NO RUSSIAN SOLDIERS: Senior Czech politicians 
are angry over Washington's suggestion that Russians be allowed 
to staff a radar station in the former Soviet satellite. 
    Story: [nL24310595] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP-US] 
     
    BOND AUCTION: The Czech Finance Ministry sold 6.84 billion 
crowns ($311.8 million) worth of the 4.70 percent coupon 
government bonds <CZ1001945=> <CZ15YT=RR> at an auction. It 
retained additional 159 million crowns worth of the paper. 
    Stories: [nPRA001565] [nPRA001566] 
    For auction details and results, click on <CNB08>. 
    Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD-ISU] 
 
 ======================= PRESS DIGEST ========================== 
    CEZ EXPANSION: Power utility CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> wants to become 
the sixth largest energy firm in Europe within four years, 
according to its Chairman Martin Roman. CEZ is currently eighth 
in terms of market capitalization and the number of customers it 
has. 
    Pravo, page 20 
 
 
 (Reuters has not verified any of the newspaper reports that may 
be quoted above and does not vouch for their accuracy.) 
 
 
 For Instant Views of key economic data click on    [CZ/INSTANT] 
 For summary of economic data and forecasts          <CZ/ECON01> 
 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         <G7TODAY> 
 
 For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: 
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX <.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 
 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)) 
  Keywords: CZECH FACTORS/