Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Aug 21

                                
 PRAGUE, Aug 21 (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 + 2 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 ================================ 
                                
 PRAGUE - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to meet Czech
Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek. News conference at 0935 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
====================== TOP NEWS ================================
                                
 VIG PRETAX PROFIT JUMPS: Vienna Insurance Group <VIGR.VI>
<VIGRSP.PR> posted a 43 percent rise in second-quarter pretax
profit, a fifth more than analysts had expected, as premium
income grew in emerging European markets.
                                
 Story: [ID:nWEA6632] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-INS]

                                
 CEE CURRENCIES HIGHER: Emerging European currencies edged
slightly higher on Wednesday, finishing near where they started,
while weak Polish data prompted bets that monetary tightening
has peaked, sending bond yields lower.
                                
Story: [ID:nLK47646] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CZECHS URGE INTERNATIONAL MISSION: Czech Republic will seek
to initiate an international mission to Georgia and a donor
conference to help the country torn by a conflict with Russia,
Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said on Wednesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLK279385] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 GOVT TO APPEAL ARBITRATION: The Czech government said on
Wednesday it would appeal an arbitration ruling ordering it to
pay 8.86 billion crowns ($536.3 million) to a private company
over failed blood supply deals in the 1990s.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLK540659] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CRIM]
                                
 
                                
 FUTURE RATE DECISION UNCLEAR: The Czech central bank (CNB)
needs more time to see whether a 25 basis point rate cut earlier
in August was enough, or whether another policy easing is on the
cards, CNB Vice-Governor Miroslav Singer said on Wednesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLK193145] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 BOND SALE: The Czech Finance Ministry sold 235 million
crowns ($14.23 million) worth of 5-year government bonds
<CZ1001887=> <CZ4YT=RR> at an average yield of 4.036 percent in
the second, non-competitive round of an auction on Wednesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA002083] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]

---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,440.0  1,431.5   +0.59        -20.67
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  24.423   24.390   -0.14         +8.50
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  16.495   16.544   +0.27        +10.13
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  11,417   11,349   +0.61        -13.93
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500


                                
 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: Jana Mlcochova on +420 224 190 479;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
 (Compiled by Jana Mlcochova)