Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on March 17

                                
 PRAGUE, March 17 (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 + 1 hours)

 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
                                
 
                                
 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 Czech currency.............................[CZK/]
                                
 
========================= EVENTS ===============================
                                
 GOVERNMENT MEETING: The government holds its regular weekly
meeting. The agenda does not include major economic items. The
news conference expected at around 1200 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 NEW WORLD RESOURCES INTERVIEW: Interview with Coal mining
firm New World Resources (NWR) CEO Mike Salamon on Web site
www.patria.cz at 1400 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-COA]
                                
 
========================= TOP NEWS =============================
                                
 PRODUCER PRICES: Czech industrial producer prices edged up
0.1 percent in February from January, putting the annual rate to
5.6 percent from January's 6.0 percent.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL14757726]  Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]
                                
 
====================== ELSEWHERE IN NEWS =======================
                                
 OPPOSITION LEAD RISES: The Czech Republic's leftist
opposition party, the Social Democrats (CSSD), increased its
lead over the ruling right-wing Civic Democrats (ODS), a poll
showed on Friday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL14754508]  Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-VOTE]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,506.0  1,495.3   +0.72        -17.03
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  25.080   25.105   +0.10         +5.66
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  15.843   15.983   +0.95        +14.76
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  11,951   12,146   -1.60         -9.90
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
                                
     
 ==================== PRESS DIGEST =============================
                                
 PRAGUE AIRPORT SALE: The finance ministry will propose to
privatise its whole 92 percent stake in the Prague airport
operator Letiste Praha, but a sale of a 34 percent stake to the
capital Prague and to a region of Central Bohemia is also in
play, deputy minister Ivan Fuksa said.
                                
 E15, page 8
                                
 
                                
 AIRLINES SALE: The government will decide on the sale of the
Czech national carrier CSA by the end of this year, and the
finance ministry will propose to privatise a 90 percent stake to
one strategic investor, deputy minister Ivan Fuksa said.
                                
 E15, 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    [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 +420 224 190 477;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
(Compiled by Martin Dokoupil)