PRAGUE, Jan 22 (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 ========================
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: []
LUHACOVICE, Czech Republic - Informal Meeting of Ministers
for Employment and Social Affairs. News conference on Thursday
at 1700 GMT and ond Friday at 1230 GMT.
Related news: []
============================NEWS================================
RATES MAY DROP: Czech interest rates could be cut again next
month as economic growth may stagnate this year, but a weak
crown currency may limit room for further policy easing, central
bank Vice-Governor Miroslav Singer said.
Story: [] Related news: []
FX REBOUND: Central European currencies inched higher on
Wednesday, but markets remained jittery and dealers said more
losses were possible as the outlook for the region's economies
darkens.
Story: [] Related news: []
EAST EU: Hungary is headed for a much deeper recession than
previously expected, its central bank chief said on Wednesday,
joining a chorus of policymakers from the region who said their
growth outlooks had become more dire.
Story: [] Related news: []
TELEFONICA WINS CONTRACT: Spain's Telefonica <TEF.MC> won a
350 million euro ($454.2 million) contract to provide services
for logistics group DHL, Telefonica's Czech unit said.
Story: [] Related news: []
GROWTH BELOW FCAST: Czech economic growth will be lower than
assumed in central bank's latest forecasts, central bank
Governor Zdenek Tuma said.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2009
Czech Equities <> 784.4 784.4 +0.00 -100.00
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 27.420 27.650 +0.84 -3.36
vs Dollar <CZK=> 21.103 21.394 +1.28 -13.98
U.S. Equities <> 8,228 7,949 +3.51 -37.97
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
PUTIN AND POPE TO VISIT PRAGUE: Russian Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin as well as Pope Benedict plan to visit the Czech
Republic. Putin is likely to visit the country while it holds
the six-month EU rotating presidency. The pope may come in
September.
Mlada Fronta Dnes, page 1
MISSILE SHIELD: Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg
said he would be happy if Russia participated in the U.S.
missile shield defence system planned in central Europe.
E15, page 1
GAS POWER STATIONS: The recent gas crisis does not change
anything about Czech power group CEZ <> plans to build
gas-fired power stations in Slovakia and other countries of
central and eastern Europe.
E15, page 10
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 Jana Mlcochova)
