Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on May 3

                                
 PRAGUE, May 3 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Monday.
                                
 ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours)

=========================ECONOMIC DATA=========================
                                
 Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for April at 0730 GMT.
                                
 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/]
 
 =========================EVENTS===============================
                                
 PRAGUE - End-April budget balance data at 1200 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - The Czech cabinet to hold a session
(www.vlada.cz/en/default.htm). News conference to follow.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
==========================TOP NEWS============================
                                
 CEE CURRENCIES WEAKENED: Central European currencies
retreated late Friday as investors continued to be wary of a
spillover threat from Greece and waited for more news on the
bailout while also eyeing rate meetings in the region next week.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE63T0IM] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CEZ TO SHUT TEMELIN UNIT 2 FOR 50 DAYS: Czech utility CEZ
<CEZPsp.PR> will shut unit 2 at its Temelin nuclear power plant
for 50 days as planned starting at 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT),
the company said on Friday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE63T1AC] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ELG]
                                
 
                                
 PHILIP MORRIS CR APPROVES DIVIDEND: Czech Philip Morris CR
<TABKsp.PR> shareholders approved a 780 crown ($40.82) per share
gross dividend on 2009 profits, up from 560 crowns per share the
previous year, the tobacco group said on Friday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE63T19E] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CIGS]
                                
 
                                
 GREECE TO GET RESCUE PACKAGE: European nations aim to
formally launch the biggest ever financial bailout of a country
this week, hoping to calm markets wary that Greece's rescue may
be the first of several, expensive measures to shore up other
economies.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLDE63T19E] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GR]

---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2010
 Czech Equities <.PX>   1276      1276    -0,07       14,2
vs Euro   <EURCZK=>    25,595    25,574    -0,08      2,75
vs Dollar    <CZK=>    19,313     19,237   -0,4       -5,09
 U.S. Equities <.DJI>  11008,61  11167,32  -1,42      5,57
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT

==========================PRESS DIGEST========================
                                
 CZECH PRESIDENT BACKS IMF CRITICISM: Czech President Vaclav
Klaus, who appoints members of the central bank governing board,
said he "basically agreed" with Vice-Governor Mojmir Hampl in
his criticism of International Monetary Fund's role in the
economic downturn. Hampl said the fund spurred the crisis in
emerging Europe to create a situation in which it would be asked
to bail out the region, to find a new work. Klaus said it was
necessary to praise Hampl's opinion and added he was very sorry
that the bank's governor, the finance minister and the prime
minister distanced themselves from Hampl.
                                
 Euro weekly, page 45
                                
 
                                
 BANKS SEE IMPROVEMENT IN CORPORATE SECTOR: The situation of
Czech corporate sector is improving but households have more and
more problems to pay back loans, Ceska Sporitelna <ERST.VI>
chief executive said.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 17
                                
 
                                
 COMPANIES SEE REVIVAL IN 2011: More than half of Czech
companies expect the end of the economic crisis and a beginning
of a sustainable recovery in 2011, a survey of 200 companies by
the Confederation of Industry showed. And 26 percent expect the
recovery in 2012.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, 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
                                
 (Compiled by Jana Mlcochova)
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com