Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Aug 1

                                
 PRAGUE, Aug 1 (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 - Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for July due out
at 0730 GMT.
                                
 PRAGUE - End-July budget balance data.
                                
 
====================== TOP NEWS ================================
                                
 ONLY HAMPL TO MISS CZECH AUG 7 CENTRAL BANK MEET: Six Czech
central bank board members will attend the bank's
closely-watched Aug. 7 policy meeting, with only Vice-Governor
Mojmir Hampl missing as the board weighs a possible interest
rate cut.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRG000926] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CENT]
                                
 
                                
 CZECHS TOP GERMAN FDI DESTINATION: The Czech Republic
remains the most attractive investment destination among new
European Union (EU) members, followed by Slovenia and Slovakia,
an annual survey of German firms in the region showed.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL1558664]  Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DE]
                                
 
                                
 HAVEL, TUTU URGE ATHLETES TO SPEAK UP AT GAMES: Czech
ex-president Vaclav Havel and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond
Tutu called on Olympic athletes on Thursday to speak up on human
rights in China during the Beijing Olympics next month.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL1663316]  Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
====================== IN OTHER NEWS===========================
                                
 ERSTE BANK FAIR VALUE CUT AT SAL OPPENHEIM: Sal. Oppenheim
cut its fair value for Austria's Erste Bank <ERST.VI>
<ERSTsp.PR> to 57 euros from 61 but keeps a "strong buy" rating.
                                
 Story: [ID:nWNA5634]   Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-RCH]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,471.8  1,474.0   -0.15        -18.91
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  23.930   23.930   +0.00        +10.74
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  15.366   15.373   -0.04        +18.15
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  11,378   11,584   -1.78        -14.22
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
                                
 
====================== PRESS DIGEST ===========================
                                
 CZECH EXPORTERS LOSING ON STRONG CROWN: The strength of the
crown currency cost Czech exporters 60 billion Czech crowns
($3.90 billion) in lost profit in the first half of the year,
the head of the Exporters Association said.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 16
                                
 
                                
 CZECHS TO TRAVEL TO US VISA-FREE BY NOVEMBER: The visa
requirement for Czechs travelling to the United States will be
cancelled by Nov. 15, an official at the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security said.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 MBANK LOOKING TO FRANCHISE BRANCHES: Poland's mBank, which
operates 24 sales points in the Czech Republic, is looking to
open its first franchise branch in the country by the end of the
year, with dozens of others possible after that.
                                
 E15, page 1
                                
 
                                
 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: Michael Winfrey on +420 224 190 477;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
 (Compiled by Jason Hovet)