Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Jan 17

                                
 PRAGUE, Jan 17 (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 hours)

 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
                                
 No data due for release on Thursday.
                                
 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/]

 ========================== TOP STORY ==========================
                                
 C.BANK CHIEF CANNOT EXCLUDE RATE HIKES: A spike in Czech
inflation should be quite temporary but some interest rate hikes
this year cannot be excluded, central bank chief Zdenek Tuma
said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL16164971] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
 =========================== EVENTS ============================
                                
 T-BILL AUCTION: The Finance Ministry will auction 5 billion
worth of 52-week T-bills. Bids are due at 1100 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD-ISU]
                                
 
                                
 CENTRAL BANK MEETS: The central bank's governing board due
to hold a regular meeting, but is not expected to discuss policy
until Feb. 7.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
                                
 CENTRAL BANKER ON RADIO: Central bank chief Zdenek Tuma to
speak in a radio interview at 1700 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]
                                
 
                                
 MISSILE DEFENCE: Head of the U.S. Missile Defence Agency,
Lt. General Henry Obering, visits the Czech Republic. News
conference at 1530 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-US]

 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 0,000.0  1,570.1   +0.00       -100.00
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  26.125   25.905   -0.84         +1.44
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  17.843   17.432   -2.29         +1.85
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  12,466   12,501   -0.28         -6.02
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
 - For previous updates on Czech currency moves click on [CZK/]
 - For the Reuters scrolling global forex service click <FXNEWS>
==================== ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS ====================
                                
 INFLATION SPIKE TEMPORARY: The Czech central bank (CNB) will
do all it can to make a consumer price spike a deviation limited
to this year, Vice-Governor Miroslav Singer said in a magazine
article.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL17626646]
                                
 
                                
 CROWN SEEN WEAKER: The Czech crown is expected to drop from
record highs within three months, a Reuters poll showed on
Wednesday, highlighting market expectations that the currency's
six-month-old rally was running out of steam.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL1691561] Table: [ID:nL1663157]
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
 (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)