PRAGUE, Jan 15 (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 PPI and November foreign trade prices data at 0800
GMT.
November 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: []
PRAGUE - 52-week T-bill auction.
Related news: []
========================= TOP NEWS =============================
GAS DISPUTE: EU states cut off for days from Russian gas in
freezing temperatures pleaded with Moscow and Kiev on Wednesday
to end wrangling which has stalled a deal to restore fuel
supplies.
Story: [] Related news: []
HAVEL "SERIOUS, BUT STABLE": Former Czech President Vaclav
Havel is in a serious but stable condition in a Prague hospital
with respiratory problems, doctors said.
Story: [] Related news: []
POOR DATA: Czech industrial output plunged in November as
fading euro zone demand tore into the export-reliant economy,
adding weight to calls for swift and bold interest rate cuts.
Story: [] Related news: []
CEE FX DOWN: Central European currencies shed early gains on
Wednesday, as new figures including a record drop in Czech
industrial output bolstered expectations for further monetary
easing in the region.
Story: [] Related news: []
CROWN DROPS: The Czech crown <EURCZK=> dropped 1.2 percent
to the weak side of 27.00 per euro on Wednesday, the weakest
level since November 2007, on the back of figures showing deep
drop of industrial output in November.
Story: [] Related news: []
FLOATER: The Czech Republic sold 6.17 billion crowns ($304.1
million) worth of its 8-year, floating rate bond in its first
debt auction of 2009, with demand steady but signalling no fast
market recovery ahead.
Story: [] Related news: []
GAS HURDLES: Technical gas should not serve as a pretext for
cutting Russian gas supplies to the European Union via Ukraine,
Mirek Topolanek, Czech prime minister and current EU president,
said.
Story: [] Related news: []
BLEAK OUTLOOK: Czech economic growth this year is likely to
correspond to the central bank's alternative, pessimistic
outlook, the bank's Vice Governor Miroslav Singer said.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2009
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 27.160 27.160 +0.00 -2.43
vs Dollar <CZK=> 20.546 20.544 -0.03 -11.59
U.S. Equities <> 08,200 08,449 -2.94 -38.18
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
KB PROFIT GROWTH SLOWER: Komercni Banka's <> chief
executive said in an interview that profit growth in 2009 of 5-6
percent would be a "big success", and the bank's dividend policy
is not expected to change. The bank saw 2007 net profit grow 21
percent.
Ekonom, page 30
NEW ENERGY PROPOSAL: The Industry Ministry's proposed state
energy concept counts on lifting of mining limits for brown and
black coal, and growing use of nuclear power.
Pravo, page 19
TRANSIT STRIKE AVERTED: Transit workers called off strike
action after Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek delayed plans to
cancel tax benefits connected to workers' benefits.
E15, page 3
CORPORATE LOANS NOT CHEAPER: Banks still have to raise
prices for loans to businesses due to risk connected to the
cooling economy, the country's banking association chief said.
E15, page 13
NUCLEAR NOT OFF TABLE: The Environment Ministry, run by the
Green Party leader whose party is against nuclear power, is not
against nuclear energy but wants more investment into improving
technology, a spokesman said.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 13
CSA 2008 PROFIT: Czech Airlines (CSA) expect 2008 net profit
to be "hundreds of millions of crowns", its chief executive
said. The company had expected profit of 150 million crowns
($7.39 million) in November.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 14
JAN KAPLICKY: Czech-born architect Jan Kaplicky died on
Wednesday at the age of 71. Kaplicky started Future Systems
studio, known for its unusual style and designer of such
buildings as Selfridges in Birmingham, England.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
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)
