PRAGUE, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Wednesday:
ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 1 hours)
======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
No data due for release on Wednesday.
Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONCZ>
Previous stories on Czech data.............[]
Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
Updates on Czech currency.............................[]
============================ EVENTS ============================
BOND AUCTION: The government will offer 6 billion crowns
worth of 4.70/22 bonds <CZ1001945=>. Bids are due at 1100 GMT.
Related news: []
POLITICAL TALKS: Political parties are expected to continue
negotiating on support for candidates ahead of the second
attempt to elect a new president. The parliamentary vote is due
on Friday.
Related news: []
========================= TOP NEWS =============================
CURRENT ACCOUNT SLIPS: The current account showed a 20.1
billion crown gap in December, more than double what the market
had expected, on high profit repatriation. Full-year deficit
remained around 3 percent of gross domestic product.
Story: [] Related news: []
GDP SEEN SLOWING: Czech gross domestic product (GDP) is
expected to have grown by a real 5.6 percent year-on-year in the
fourth quarter of 2007, according to a Reuters poll of 14
analysts.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2008
Czech Equities <> 1,524.0 1,493.2 +2.06 -16.04
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 25.500 25.565 +0.25 +3.92
vs Dollar <CZK=> 17.498 17.505 -0.04 +3.76
U.S. Equities <> 12,373 12,240 +1.09 -6.72
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
** Crown trades at new record highs vs the euro, up from
previous high of 25.530 seen on Feb. 8.
===================== PRESS DIGEST =============================
COMMUNISTS FIELD PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The far-left
Communists (KSCM) nominated European Parliament member Jana
Bobosikova for president. The nomination splits the opposition
ranks ahead of the vote on Friday, lowering the chances of the
main opposition candidate Jan Svejnar and boosting the standing
of incumbent Vaclav Klaus.
Mlada fronta Dnes, page 1.
UNIPETROL PLANS ACQUISITIONS: Oil group Unipetrol
<> may buy a rival petrol station chain to raise its
market share this year. Possible targets are Robin Oil, Pap Oil
or Slovnaft, which is owned by Hungary's MOL <MOLB.BU>.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 1.
AAA AUTO, PPF IN TALKS ON RUSSIA: Used-car dealer AAA Auto
<> aims to expand to Russia and is in talks with
privately-held financial group PPF on financing car purchases by
customers there. AAA has seen its stock fall by a half since an
IPO last year on worsening earnings outlook, and Chief Executive
Anthony Denny said he would present a turnaround plan within two
weeks.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 13.
(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 []
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 +420 224 190 477;
fax: +420 224 229 935
E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
Reuters Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net
(Reporting by Jan Lopatka)
