Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Dec 11

                                
 PRAGUE, Dec 11 (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 + 1 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 - Power firm CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> CEO Martin Roman and
Sales Director Alan Svoboda to hold a news conference at 0800
GMT.
                                
 Related new: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ELG]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Czech central bank governing board to hold a
regular weekly meeting. It is not scheduled to discuss monetary
policy issues.
                                
 Related new: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - 26-week T-bill auction.
                                
 Related new: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek and Industry and
Trade Minister Martin Riman to hold a news conference on
government's support for the Czech export at 1130 GMT.
                                
 Related new: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Conference "Energy policy of the Czech Republic"
(1600 GMT).
                                
 Related new: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ENG]
====================== TOP NEWS ===========================
                                
 CZECH CDS: Investors should buy Czech credit default swaps
with the view that the markets have not fully priced in the
impact of west European slowdown on the export-oriented country,
Barclays said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLB288026]  Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MMT]
                                
 
                                
 PARLT APPROVES BUDGET: The Czech lower house approved the
2009 budget on Wednesday but the impact of the financial crisis
on projected revenues means the government will almost certainly
need to rein in spending or even let the gap rise.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLB276224] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 CAR FIRMS AXE JOBS: The Czech Republic's top industry, car
production, will shed over 13,500 jobs in the next few months as
suppliers are being hammered by recession in the euro zone, but
vehicle output will still grow next year.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLB269664] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-AUT]
========================IN OTHER NEWS==========================
                                
 UNIPETROL: An October shutdown at one of Unipetrol's
<UNPEsp.PR> refineries will reduce the oil processing firm's
fourth quarter operating profit by 229 million crowns, Unipetrol
said.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-AUT]
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  25.815   25.840   +0.10         +2.65
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  19.648   19.884   +1.26         -7.47
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  08,761   08,691   +0.81        -33.95
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
====================== PRESS DIGEST ===========================
                                
 CEZ: Czech power group CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> cannot move forward
wiTh a new buyback of 10 percent of its shares due to legal
obstacles, its chief executive said.
                                
 E15, page 16
                                
 
                                
 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: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
 (Compiled by Jana Mlcochova)