PRAGUE, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Friday:
ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 1 hour)
======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
January producer prices data at 0800 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 - The Czech cabinet to hold a session, Finance
Minister Miroslav Kalousek to present an economic forecast (1300
GMT). News conference to follow.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis <SASY.PA> 1,150
crown a share bid for Czech drugmaker Zentiva <>
expires.
Related news: []
============================NEWS================================
EVAPORATING CASH: Romania looked set to pass an austerity
2009 budget on Thursday while Hungarian bond yields jumped more
than 2 percentage points, as evidence mounted that eastern
Europe was struggling to find sources of financing.
Story: [] Related news: []
PPF SELLS ZENTIVA: Czech investment group PPF said on
Thursday it would sell its stake in Czech drug firm Zentiva
<> to Sanofi-Aventis <SASY.PA>, securing the French
firm a majority that it needs for its takeover bid to go
through.
Story: [] Related news: []
REGIONAL IMAGE: The Czech Republic fears it may need foreign
assistance because it is considered to be in the same group as
other countries worse affected by the financial crisis, Prime
Minister Mirek Topolanek said.
Story: [] Related news: []
OVERSHOT FX: Short positions on eastern European currencies
have become less of a one-way bet after sharp falls in recent
weeks, Goldman Sachs analysts said.
Story: [] Related news: []
BUDGET GAP: The Czech Republic's state budget gap will stay
below 100 billion crowns ($4.38 billion)this year in case
growth is around zero but will rise above that level in case the
economy shrinks, Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said.
Story: [] Related news: []
AIRLINE: Low-cost air carrier Wizz Air plans to double its
fleet over the next two years as it raises share on the falling
European airline market, the firm's chief executive said.
Story: [] Related news: []
E.EUROPE CDS: RBC Capital Markets recommended buying
five-year credit default swap (CDS) protection in a basket of
five emerging European countries as financial distress in the
region rises.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2009
Czech Equities <> 657.0 657.0 +0.00 -100.00
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 28.930 28.777 -0.43 -7.30
vs Dollar <CZK=> 22.915 22.791 -0.55 -16.61
U.S. Equities <> 7,466 7,556 -1.19 -14.93
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
ORCO: Orco Property Group <ORCO.PA> <> Chief
Executive Jean Francois Ott said the central European developer
was going to survive this year, only it is going through a
critical period. He also said Orco current share price does not
correspond to the company's value. Developer Central Group has
offered to buy some of Orco's residential projects in Prague.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 16; Mlada Fronta Dnes, page 9
CEZ: Czech power group CEZ <> will propose to pay
50 percent to 60 percent in dividend from this year's profit,
same as last year, Chief Executive Martin Roman said. The
company will speed up a 5 billion crown ($217.2 million)
investment in maintenance work this year.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 10
BONDS FOR PEOPLE: Finance Ministry is working on a plan that
would make it possible to sell government bonds directly to
people. The interest rate would be higher than on bank deposit
rates.
Mlada Fronta Dnes, page 8
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)
