Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Oct 24

                                
 PRAGUE, Oct 24 (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=============================
                                
 CZECH REPUBLIC - Czechs to continue one third of upper house
elections.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
========================= TOP NEWS ============================
                                
 TELEFONICA Q3 NET UP: The third quarter earnings at
Telefonica O2 Czech Republic <SPTTsp.PR> beat forecast by a
comfortable margin boosted by shrinking depreciation costs and
an unexpected rise in revenue from fixed line services.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN103247] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-RES]
                                
 
                                
 CROWN SOARS: The Czech crown soared over four percent to the
euro from session lows on Thursday while the Polish zloty
recovered after touching more than two-year lows as emerging
market currencies swung widely.
                                
 Story: [ID:nLN132128] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CZECHS OPPOSE FRENCH PLAN TO BEEF UP EUROGROUP: Incoming EU
president the Czech Republic sniped on Thursday at French plans
to beef up the Eurogroup of countries sharing the euro, saying
that would divide the union rather than strengthen it.
                                
Story: [ID:nLN337711] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 CROWN REVERSES LOSSES: The Czech crown <EURCZK=> jumped 2.6
percent from day lows against the euro on Wednesday in a move a
Prague dealer attributed to a market rumour of an IMF deal for
emerging markets.
                                
 Story: [ID:nWLA1168] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]

                                
 C.BANKER SEES ROOM FOR 25 BPS CUT: Czech central bank board
member Eva Zamrazilova said on Thursday she could not see room
for a bigger than a 25 basis point cut in borrowing costs at the
board's upcoming policy meeting on Nov. 6.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRG001079] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 TEMELIN TO SHUT UNIT 2: Czech nuclear power plant Temelin
will shut its Unit 2 from midnight on Thursday until Friday
evening to repair an oil supply mechanism, a spokesman said.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA002185] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-NUC]

                                
 PPF UPS STAKE IN ZENTIVA: Czech privately owned PPF Group NV
raised its voting rights stake in Zentiva <ZNTVsp.PR> to 24.26
percent from 21.59 percent, a filing with a Dutch regulator AFM
showed.
                                
  Story: [ID:nPRG001078] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-MRG]

 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 0,000.0  0,851.5   +0.00       -100.00
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  25.230   24.900   -1.31         +5.03
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  19.750   19.312   -2.18         -7.97
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  08,691   08,519   +2.02        -34.48
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500
====================== PRESS DIGEST ===========================
                                
 PM READY TO LEAD THE EU: Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said
there is a possibility that he will continue to hold the prime
minister's post even if he fails to be re-elected as the ruling
party's chairman at its December congress, to avoid complicating
the country's upcoming EU presidency.    
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 11
                                
 
                                
 AGROFERT EYES MERGER WITH AGROPOL: Agriculture holding
Agrofert filed for a permission to merge with peer Agropol,
creating one of the largest agro-businesses in central Europe.
                                
 Mlada fronta Dnes B1
                                
 
                                
 PM CANCELS TRIP TO USA: Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek
cancelled a planned trip to the United States due to a stormy
situation on the Czech political scene following the ruling
party's defeat in regional elections.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 POWER PRICES TO RISE: Electricity prices for end customers
will likely rise 10 percent to 15 percent as of January.
                                
 Mlada fronta Dnes, 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: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
 (Compiled by Jana Mlcochova)