PRAGUE, Feb 12 (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 hour)
======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
December current account balance data at 0900 GMT.
Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONCZ>
Previous stories on Czech data.............[]
Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
Updates on Czech currency.............................[]
=========================== EVENTS =============================
PRAGUE - Czech central bank governing board to hold a
regular weekly meeting. It is not scheduled to discuss monetary
policy issues.
Related news: []
============================NEWS================================
EU SETS SUMMITS: The European Union announced plans on
Wednesday to hold no fewer than three economic summits to iron
out national differences that threaten to hamper its efforts at
tackling the recession.
Story: [] Related news: []
ZENTIVA HOLDER WILLING TO SELL: Private shareholder
Belviport Trading Ltd will likely sell its 10.06 percent stake
in Czech drugmaker Zentiva to Sanofi-Aventis under the French
firm's takeover bid, a source close to Belviport said on
Wednesday.
Story: [] Related news: []
INDUSTRY DROPS: Industrial output in the Czech Republic
plunged for a third straight month in December and the
statistics office said it indicated the economy may have already
contracted in the last three months of 2008.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE FX STAY WEAK: Emerging European assets slipped on
Wednesday after a U.S. bank rescue plan disappointed investors,
increasing the aversion of risk, while Polish FX options and
Czech output data added to downward pressures.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2009
Czech Equities <> 740.4 740.4 +0.00 n/a
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 28.530 28.530 +0.00 -6.10
vs Dollar <CZK=> 22.067 22.097 +0.26 -13.29
U.S. Equities <> 7,940 7,889 +0.64 -9.54
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
WEAK CROWN AFFECTING GAS PRICE: Dominant gas supplier RWE
Transgas <RWEG.DE> does not see much room to lower gas prices in
the second quarter due to the weakening crown currency, its CEO
said.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 16
PPF WANTS ECM: Financial group PPF wants to buy the majority
shareholding of ECM Real Estate Investments <> owned by
the group's founder.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 19
CORPORATE LOAN GUARANTEE: The state has prepared a 3.75
billion crown ($169.8 million) program that would guarantee
corporate loans up to 25 billion crowns.
Mlada Fronta Dnes, page B1
ELECTRICITY PRICE COULD FALL: The baseload price of
electricity could drop 9.3 percent to 45 euro per megawatt hour,
a CEZ <> trader said.
Mlada Fronta Dnes, page B4
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
For Instant Views of key economic data click on []
For summary of economic data and forecasts <CZ/ECON01>
For diary of forthcoming Czech events []
For calendar of east European economic indicators []
TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets []
TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch []
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 <> Budapest BUX <> Prague 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)
