Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Jan 15

                                
 PRAGUE, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Tuesday:
                                
 ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours)

 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
                                
 December producer prices (PPI) are due for release at 0800.
Economists polled by Reuters forecast a 0.2 percent monthly gain
and a 5.6 percent increase year-on-year in the PPI index.
                                
 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/]

 ========================== TOP STORY ==========================
                                
 KLAUS GETS BACKING: The Czech centrist Christian Democrats
backed right-winger Vaclav Klaus for a second presidential term
on Monday, raising the chances he will win the parliamentary
vote due next month.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL14525108] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]

 =========================== EVENTS ============================
                                
 PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGER: Presidential candidate Jan Svejnar,
bidding to unseat incumbent President Klaus, holds a news
briefing on his campaign at 1500.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 LOWER HOUSE: The lower house of parliament holds an
extraordinary session on an amended excise tax bill and other
issues.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-TAX]

 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 Czech Equities  <.PX> 1,651.5  1,657.3   -0.35         -9.01
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  25.847   25.842   -0.02         +2.53
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  17.325   17.341   -0.05         +4.73
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  12,778   12,606   +1.36         -3.67
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500

==================== ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS ====================
                                
 CROWN AT NEW HIGHS: The crown briefly touched a new record
high of 28.828 per euro <EURCZK=> and also traded at all-time
highs around 17.320 against the dollar <CZK=> during Monday's
session.
 - For previous updates on Czech currency moves click on [CZK/]
 - For the Reuters scrolling global forex service click <FXNEWS>

                                
 CEZ IN ROMANIA: Power utility CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> submitted on
Monday a bid to become strategic partner for the upgrade and
expansion of the Galati power plant in Romania.
                                
 Story: [nL14276351] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEZPsp.PR]

======================= PRESS DIGEST ==========================
                                
 STATE SUBSIDIES TO STAY: Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek
said he would keep state subsidies for construction-savings
accounts. Largest Czech banks, Komercni Banka <BKOMsp.PR> and
Erste Bank's <ERST.VI><ERSTsp.PR> unit Ceska Sporitelna, operate
building societies, where millions of Czechs have been stashing
their savings to take advantage of above-average returns thanks
to the state subsidy.
                                
 Pravo, page 5

 (Reuters has not verified any of the newspaper reports that may
be quoted above and does not 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
                                
 Reuters Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net

 (Compiled by Marek Petrus)