Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on May 13

PRAGUE, May 13 (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 + 1 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 - March construction output data at 0700 GMT.

Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]

PRAGUE - Seminar "Czech-Japan Science and Technology Days
2008" with Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, Deputy Foreign
Minister Tomas Pojar (0700 GMT).

Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]

======================= TOP NEWS ===============================

CPI DISAPPOINTS: Czech consumer prices rose a touch faster
than expected in April and output fell in March for the first
time in over five years, sending divergent signals to the
central bank which has halted its rate-tightening drive.

Story: [ID:nL12257248] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]

C.BANK ON CPI: Czech inflation fell in April but still
remained slightly above the central bank's forecast due to
higher-than-expected adjusted inflation excluding fuels, the
central bank said on Monday.

Story: [ID:nPRA001909] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-CEN]

CROWN FIRMS: The Czech crown firmed 0.7 percent against the
euro <EURCZK=> on Monday, hitting a one-month peak of 24.900,
helped by higher-than-expected inflation and gains on other
regional markets, a dealer said.

Story: [ID:nL12421862] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]

OUTPUT FALLS: Czech industrial output fell by a surprising
2.1 percent year-on-year in March, data showed on Monday.

Story: [ID:nL12109554] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]

JOBLESS DROPS: The Czech unemployment rate dipped to a
record low of 5.2 percent of the workforce in April from 5.6
percent a month earlier, the Labour Ministry said on Monday in
data released under EU-harmonised methodology.

Story: [ID:nPRA001907] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-JOB]

GDP OUTLOOK: Czech gross domestic product (GDP) is expected
to have grown by a real 5.5 percent year-on-year in the first
quarter of 2008, slower than previously forecast, according to a
Reuters poll.

Story: [ID:nL12539234] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]

KOMERCNI RESULTS: Komercni Banka (BKOMsp.PR: Quote, Profile, Research) is expected to
report a 19 percent rise in net profit for the first quarter on
continuing demand for loans in the expanding Czech economy, a
Reuters poll showed on Monday.

Story: [ID:nL12559669] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-BNK]

---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change

close on day in 2008
Czech Equities 1,640.9 1,636.8 +0.25 -9.60
vs Euro <EURCZK=> 24.880 25.075 +0.64 +6.36
vs Dollar <CZK=> 16.082 16.234 +0.95 +12.98
U.S. Equities .DJI 12,876 12,746 +1.02 -2.93
Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500

====================== PRESS DIGEST ============================

CEZ SALE: The state sold roughly 3 million shares or a 1.56
percent stake in power firm CEZ (CEZPsp.PR: Quote, Profile, Research) for 3.8 billion
crowns ($235.3 million) on the stock market on Monday, boosting
the stock's trading volume to more than 6 billion, a new record.

Hospodarske Noviny, page 15

NEW HEALTH RULES: The Czech health ministry wants some
employers to cover full costs of medical checks for their
employees. The new rule would affect roughly 400,000 people and
boost companies' costs by around 400 million crowns in the next
two or three years.

Hospodarske Noviny, page 1

POLICE CAR TENDER: Czech car producer Skoda Auto, a unit of
Volkswagen (VOWG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), placed the lowest offer of 1.1 billion
crowns without the value added tax in a tender for new police
vehicles.

Its parent came the second with a 1.4 billion crown bid,
while France's Renault (RENA.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) was the third with 2 billion.
The winner will be picked on the turn of May and June.

Pravo, page 3

CSOB CHARGE: Czech CSOB Bank, controlled by Belgium's KBC
KBKBt.BR, will take a charge of 1.65 billion crowns against
the second quarter profit, originating from its dispute with the
state over a takeover of failed bank IPB.

Mlada Fronta Dnes, page B1

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

News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 477;
fax: +420 224 229 935

E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
(Reporting by Martin Dokoupil)