Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on July 18

                                
 PRAGUE, July 18 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Friday:
                                
 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 - Chemicals group Unipetrol <UNPEsp.PR>, a unit of
Poland's PKN Orlen <PKNA.WA>, to publish Q2 selected operating
data with brief management board comment.

====================== TOP NEWS ================================
                                
 ZENTIVA REJECTS SANOFI BID: Czech drugs maker Zentiva
<ZNTVsp.PR> board of directors recommended shareholders on
Friday to reject a 1,050 crown per share bid from majority
shareholder Sanofi-Aventis <SASY.PA>.
                                
  Story: [ID:nPRA002044] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 UPPER HOUSE PASSES PENSION, SICKPAY REFORMS: The Czech
Senate approved pension and state health insurance bills on
Thursday, major parts of the government's efforts to overhaul
public services under pressure from a rapidly ageing population.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL17846011] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]

                                
CEE CURRENCIES HIT RECORDS: The Czech crown and Hungarian
forint and Polish zloty hit new record highs against the euro on
Thursday, extending gains from the past month on the back of
rising risk aversion and rate hike expectations.
                                
Story: [ID:nL17816961] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
  RADA APPOINTED NEW SOCCER COACH: Petr Rada has been
appointed tHe Czech Republic's new national soccer coach, the
Czech Football Association said on Thursday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL17715036] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-SOCC]
                                
 
                                
 T-BILL AUCTION: Czech 52-week T-bill yield 4.09 percent,
previous 4.05 percent in April 10 sale.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA002043] 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> 1,441.0  1,398.6   +3.03        -20.61
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  23.105   23.145   +0.17        +14.69
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  14.539   14.558   +0.11        +24.95
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  11,447   11,239   +1.85        -13.71
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
 ====================== PRESS DIGEST ===========================
                                
 CEZ EYES STAKE IN RUSSIAN PROJECT: Czech power group CEZ
<CEZPsp.PR> is in talks with Russia's RAO UES <IRAO.MM> to
acquire one-third in its unit Kaliningrad AES to participate in
running a new nuclear plant Baltic 1 scheduled to start
operating as of 2016, 
                                
 E15, page 1
                                
 
                                
 CEZ CONSIDERS BIDDING FOR NUCLEAR PROJECT IN TURKEY: CEZ
<CEZsp.PR> is considering to bid for construction of a nuclear
power plant in Turkey, CEZ CEO said in an interview. Bids are
scheduled to be filed in September.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 16
                                
 
                                
 CRUDE SHORTFALL: The costs for a 200,000 ton shortfall in
deliveries of Russian oil could cost the Czech Republic some 100
million Czech crowns per month.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 17
                                
 
                                
 LISBON TREATY:  Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, Prime
Minister Mirek Topolanek and Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr
Vondra have agreed to submit to the Parliament the Lisbon Treaty
after municipal elections in October.
                                
 Pravo, page 3
                                
 
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)