Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on May 26

                                
 PRAGUE, May 26 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Tuesday:
                                
 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 CEE currencies.............................[CEE/]
=========================TOP NEWS===============================
2010 BUDGET: New Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer backed a
plan on Monday to keep the central government budget deficit
below 170 billion crowns ($8.92 billion) next year, the biggest
ever but still requiring big savings.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLP275690] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
                                
 CEE FX STEADY: Emerging Europe's currencies were stable on
Monday, with the forint unchanged after the Hungarian central
bank (NBH) kept interest rates on hold but said it may cut them
later.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLP663738] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CZECH FLU: The Czech Republic has confirmed the country's
first case of H1N1 flu, Chief Health Officer Michael Vit said on
Monday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRG001442] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-HEA]
                                
 
                                
 CEZ AMONG INTERESTED: Serbia's power monopoly EPS on Monday
shortlisted five European and U.S. power firms interested in
constructing coal-fired power plants with a combined capacity of
1,400 megawatts.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLP438539] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2009
 Czech Equities  <.PX>   924.8    924.8   +0.00          n/a 
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  26.665   26.665   +0.00         +0.47
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  18.954   18.975   -0.37         +0.34
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>   8,277    8,292   -0.18         -5.69
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT

=========================PRESS DIGEST===========================
                                
 STEEL WOES: ArcelorMittal Ostrava, a unit of ArcelorMittal
<ISPA.AS,> plans to shut down another oven. Its CEO said it is
running at around 35-45 percent of capacity, but there are no
plans to shut or sell the unit.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 18
                                
 
                                
 OIL RESERVE: The Industry Ministry is proposing to raise
state oil reserves to a 120-day capacity.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 19
                                
 
                                
 BAD LOANS: Banks may have to raise provisions by 16 billion
crowns ($839.9 million) this year and another 67 billion next
year due to a rise in nonperforming loans, a study by brokerage
Patria Finance showed.
                                
 Pravo, page 18
                                
 
                                
 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 Jason Hovet)