PRAGUE, Feb 18 (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.............[]
Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
Updates on Czech currency.............................[]
=========================== EVENTS =============================
PRAGUE - Komercni Banka <> to release 2008 results
(0730 GMT). A news conference at 1200 GMT, conference call at
1500 GMT.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - The lower house of parliament to continue debate on
Lisbon treaty.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - 8-year government bond auction <CZ1002331=>.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - The lower house of parliament to discuss
government's stimulus package plan.
Related news: []
PRAGUE - Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek and Finance Minister
Miroslav Kalousek to hold a news conference on stimulus package
plan (1215 GMT).
Related news: []
============================NEWS================================
RETAIL SALES: Czech retail sales dipped by 2.9 percent
year-on-year in December, after a fall of 6.3 percent in
November, data showed on Tuesday.
Story: [] Related news: []
KOMERCNI RESULTS: Czech Komercni Banka <> is
expected to show an 8 percent increase in fourth quarter net
profit led by one-off gains but the bank begins to feel the
country's sharp economic downturn, a Reuters poll showed.
Story: [] Related news: []
SINGER SEES RATE HIKES: The level of the crown exchange rate
can lead to higher interest rates, Czech central bank
Vice-Governor Miroslav Singer said on Wednesday.
Story: [] Related news: []
EUROBOND IS NONSENSE: Issuing eurobonds would be nonsense
amid the global economic crisis, Czech Prime Minister Mirek
Topolanek said.
Story: [] Related news: []
CZECHS TO HELP LATVIA: The Czech lower house of parliament
approved a plan on Tuesday to raise 200 million euros through
its existing programme of eurobond issues to provide financing
to crisis-stricken Latvia.
Story: [] Related news: []
FX DIVE: The Polish zloty plunged to near an all-time low to
the euro on Tuesday, dragging its peers weaker and prompting the
government to set a floor by saying it would intervene if the
currency dipped much further.
Story: [] Related news: []
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change
close on day in 2009
Czech Equities <> 651.5 651.5 +0.00 n/a
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 29.350 28.630 -2.45 -8.72
vs Dollar <CZK=> 23.263 22.138 -4.81 -17.83
U.S. Equities <> 7,553 7,850 -3.79 -13.94
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT
=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
SKODA WAGES: Wages at Volkswagen's <VOWG.DE> Czech unit
Skoda Auto will rise by 3 percent as of April and another 1.8
percent in October, according to an agreement between the
company and its trade unions.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 19
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
For Instant Views of key economic data click on []
For summary of economic data and forecasts <CZ/ECON01>
For diary of forthcoming Czech events []
For calendar of east European economic indicators []
TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets []
TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch []
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 <> Budapest BUX <> Prague 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)
