Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on April 5
PRAGUE, April 5 Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA========================== Real-time economic data releases.................... Summary of economic data and forecasts........... Recently released economic data.................. Previous stories on Czech data............. **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: here#/2E/events-overview =========================NEWS=================================== O2: Telecoms firm O2 Czech Republic said it successfully executed new funding (“Schuldschein”) in the total amount of CZK 3.5 billion. Story: Related stories: TELECOMS: Czech lawmakers have approved in an initial reading a bill allowing regulators to levy higher fines on telecoms companies, one of several measures the government is pushing to put more pressure on operators to cut prices and improve services. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: Central European currencies eased and bonds extended gains on Tuesday after a batch of weaker-than-expected economic data. Story: Related stories: =======================PRESS DIGEST============================ BANKS: Czech bank's combined net profit rose 12.7 percent last year to 74.7 billion crowns ($2.95 billion). Hospodarske Noviny, page 12 RENEWABLES: No new wind power plants came online in the Czech Republic last year while 50 small solar plants with a combined capacity of 0.7 MW started operations, according to energy market operator OTE. The news paper said the majority of renewable power plants came online in 2009-11 and that low or non-existent subsidies have caused the decline. Hospodarske Noviny, page 12 OKD: The finance and industry ministers agreed to submit a plan to the government for state company Prisko, controlled by the finance ministry, to make an 80 million crown bid for insolvent mining company OKD. Hospodarske Noviny, page 15 (Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.) For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX For updates on CEE currencies TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets Prague Newsroom: +420 224 190 477 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com ($1 = 25.3250 Czech crowns) (Reporting by Prague Newsroom)