Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Feb 4

                                
 PRAGUE, Feb 4 (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 ========================
                                
 No economic indicators are due for release until December
foreign trade on Feb. 5.
                                
 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 MEETS: The cabinet is due to hold a regular
session. Agenda includes minor changes to the value added tax
legislation.
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 VIG TRADING STARTS: Trading in shares of Austria's Vienna
Insurance Group <WISV.VI> <VIGR.VI> on the Prague Stock Exchange
starts on Monday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL01816896] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-STX]
                                
 
========================= TOP NEWS =============================
                                
RATE HIKE ALMOST CERTAIN: The Czech central bank (CNB) will
lift interest rates by 25 basis points on Thursday to tame
soaring inflation, but that may be the last hike in the bank's
two-year tightening drive, a Reuters poll showed.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL01287370] Table: [ID:nL013016403] 
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
                                
 BUDGET SURPLUS GROWS: The Czech central state budget showed
a surplus of 9.73 billion crowns ($555.7 million) at the end of
January, up from a 5.03 billion surplus a year ago.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA001735] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
========================= ELSEWHERE IN NEWS ====================
                                
 HAVEL OUT OF HOSPITAL: Ex-president Vaclav Havel left
hospital on the weekend after a two-week treatemnt of bronchitis
and heart arrhythmia.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL03664192] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 PMI GROWS: The Czech Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose
to 56.1 in January from December's 55.0, NTC Research and ABN
Amro said on Friday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA001734]
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,541.3  1,499.6   +2.78        -15.08
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  25.835   25.830   -0.02         +2.57
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  17.409   17.439   +0.22         +4.43
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  12,743   12,650   +0.73         -3.93
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500

======================= PRESS DIGEST ==========================
                                
 KLAUS LEADS BUT UNCERTAIN OF REELECTION: A survey among
lawmakers showed that incumbent Vaclav Klaus has secured 126
votes for reelection compared to 102 votes for challenger Jan
Svejnar.
                                
 A total of 141 votes among the 281 lawmakers is needed in
the parliamentary vote due on Friday.
                                
 Mlada fronta Dnes, page 1. 
                                
 CANDIDATES ON THE EURO: Klaus said in an interview he
thought the country would not adopt the euro by 2013 if he wins
another 5-year term. he said higher price level convergence was
desirable. Svejnar reiterated support for fast euro adoption. 
                                
 Under Czech law, a decision on the euro entry timing is up
to the cabinet, not the president.
                                
 Mlada fronta Dnes, page B2-B4.
                                
 
                                
 CENTRAL BANK CANDIDATE: Vladimir Kolman, head of human
resources at the central bank, is a serious candidate to replace
departing Vice-Governor Ludek Niedermayer on the bank's board.
The presidential office said no decision has been made.
                                
 Euro weekly, page 32.
 
 (Reuters has not verified any of the newspaper reports that may
be quoted above and does not 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
                                
 Reuters Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net

 (Reporting by Jan Lopatka)