Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on July 9

                                
 PRAGUE, July 9 (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 + 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 ==================================
                                
     
                                
 Until FRIDAY
                                
 PRAGUE - International conference on Missile Defence:
"Challenges in Europe" to continue.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 AMSTERDAM - Drug maker Zentiva <ZNTVsp.PR> to hold an
extraordinary shareholders' meeting.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DRU]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - The Czech cabinet to hold a regular session, to
discuss technical aspects of Prague airport sale. News
conference to follow.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
====================== TOP NEWS ================================
                                
 RICE CHATS WITH SHIELD FANS: U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice made a rare detour from her diplomatic
obligations on Tuesday to chat with supporters of the U.S.
missile defence shield in an off-beat Prague bar on Tuesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL08264065] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 STRONG PLN, CZK EASE PRESSURE ON RATE HIKES:  Strong
appreciation by the Czech crown and Polish zloty has eased
pressure on their central banks to raise interest rates,
policymakers said on Tuesday, a sign of a possible end to
tightening in the region.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL08685030] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 US, CZECHS SIGN MISSILE DEFENCE DEAL: The United States and
the Czech Republic signed a treaty on Tuesday allowing
Washington to build part of a missile defence shield in the
central European state despite opposition from its former Cold
War master Russia.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL08419224] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 CZECH CPI UNDERSHOOTS FCAST: Czech consumer prices grew at
only half the predicted pace in June, lowering the chances of an
interest rate hike next month, and the central bank said on
Tuesday the record-strong crown should temper price growth.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL08463760] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]
                                
 
                                
 CROWN STRENGTH MAY SLASH CPI: The strong Czech crown
currency may reduce domestic demand significantly and slash
inflation below the central bank's new target, effective from
2010, central bank Vice-Governor Miroslav Singer said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL08337254] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CEZ PICKS BANKS FOR BOND ISSUE:  Czech electricity firm CEZ
<CEZPsp.PR> picked four banks to lead its eurobond issue, which
may take place this month, a CEZ official said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nNPRG000890] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 RICE URGES RUSSIA, GEORGIA TO AVOID PROVOCATION: U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday that recent
Russian behaviour towards Georgia had exacerbated tensions and
she urged both sides to avoid provocative actions.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL08609034] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 CRONW MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO TAME CPI: The Czech crown's
firming may not be enough to tame inflation and a hike in
borrowing costs may be needed, Czech central bank Vice-Governor
Mojmir Hampl told daily Hospodarske Noviny on Tuesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL08337254] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,423.2  1,442.1   -1.31        -21.59
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  23.580   23.580   +0.00        +12.38
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  14.997   15.022   +0.16        +21.15
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  11,384   11,232   +1.36        -14.18
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
                                

 ====================== PRESS DIGEST ===========================
                                
 UNIPETROL: Czech refiner Unipetrol's <UNPEsp.PR> full year
net profit should reach 3.8 billion crowns ($252.7 million), the
company's chief Francois Vleugels said. He said the refiner does
not expect any further write-offs or outages and reiterated that
earnings before interest and tax should reach 4.8 billion crowns
at the end of the year.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 20
                                
 
                                
 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 Jana Mlcochova)