Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on March 4

                                
 PRAGUE, March 4 (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 + 1 hour)

======================== 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 - 8-year government bond auction <CZ1002331=>.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DBT]
                                
 
============================NEWS================================
                                
 CEE FX CLAW BACK: Central Europe's battered currencies
clawed back some ground on Tuesday helped by some improvement on
global stock markets, while the leu shrugged off news that
Romania was in talks with the IMF.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL3120321] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 CEZ Q4 LAGS, SEES CAUTIOUS 2009: CEZ's <CEZPsp.PR>
fourth-quarter net profit missed forecasts after a revaluation
of its stake in Hungarian group MOL, and the Czech power group
issued a cautious outlook, sending its shares lower.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL3166285] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ENR]
                                
 
                                
 CSA PASSENGER NUMBERS DROP TO END 2008: Czech Airlines (CSA)
saw an accelerated drop in passenger numbers in the fourth
quarter due to a fall in western European fliers, the soon-to-be
privatised carrier said on Tuesday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL3890457] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-AIR]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2009
 Czech Equities  <.PX>   631.0    631.0   +0.00          N/A
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  27.940   28.040   +0.36         -4.12
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  22.299   22.343   +0.22        -14.28
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>   6,726    6,763   -0.55        -23.36
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT

=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
                                
 CEZ BOND ISSUE: CEZ power group <CEZPsp.PR> is looking at
issuing a bond to a single investor in the amount of 6
billion-15 billion crowns ($677.2 million).
                                
 E15, page 1
                                
 
                                
 TELEFONICA 02 CALLS AGM: Telefonica O2 Czech Republic
<SPTTsp.PR> called its annual shareholders meeting for April 3.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 10
                                
 
                                
 CAR VAT: The lower house approved a bill that extends
writing off VAT on all new company cars.
                                
 Mlada Fronta Dnes, page A1
                                
 
                                
 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 Jason Hovet)