Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Aug 22

                                
 PRAGUE, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Friday:
                                
 ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours)

======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
                                
 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/]

====================== EVENTS ================================= 
                                
 PRAGUE - The lower house of parliament to continue an
extraordinary session. Agenda includes welfare reform bills.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
====================== TOP NEWS ===============================
                                
 DEUTSCHE BANK UPGRADES CEZ: Deutsche Bank has raised its
recommendation for Czech power group CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> to 'Buy'
from 'Hold', saying rising power prices should lead to a strong
increase in earnings.
                                
 Story: [ID:nWAR007235] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-RCH]
                                
 
                                
  VIG PRETAX PROFIT JUMPS: Vienna Insurance Group <VIGR.VI>
posted a 43 percent rise in second-quarter pretax profit,
topping analysts' expectations, as premium income grew in
emerging Europe and investment income was helped by one-offs.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLL628112] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-INS]

                                
 CEE CURRENCIES CLOSE MIXED: Emerging European currencies
closed mixed against the euro on Thursday, with the Czech crown
ending higher after shaking off a central banker's comments
suggesting interest rates might be cut again.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLM585007] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 RATE CUT NOT EXCLUDED: The Czech central bank (CNB) may cut
interest rate by another quarter of a percentage point by the
end of this year, depending on crown moves and inflation
pressures, CNB board member Robert Holman said on Thursday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLK279385] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,440.3  1,440.0   +0.02        -20.65
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  24.330   24.320   -0.04         +8.92
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  16.325   16.329   +0.12        +11.41
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  11,430   11,417   +0.11        -13.83
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
====================== PRESS DIGEST===========================
                                
 AAA AUTO SALES UP: Car sales in used car dealership AAA Auto
Group <AAAAsp.PR> grew 10 percent year on year in July and
August, the company's CEO Anthony Denny said. The loss-making
company has slashed the number of employees by a third as part
of cost cutting measures.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 17
                                

                                
 GENERALI PPF GETS LICENCE FOR BELORUSSIA: Generali PPF
Holding, a joint venture of Italy's Generali <GASI.MI> and Czech
financial group PPF got licence to provide insurance services in
Belorussia.
                                
 E15, page 6

                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
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: Jana Mlcochova on +420 224 190 479;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
 (Compiled by Jana Mlcochova)