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A new report indicates that Czech industrial profits for 2004 to 2004 tripled to 179 billion crowns (over 8 billion USD), as the workforce decreased by 35,000. Business analysts predict a revised trade surplus of 5 to 6.5 billion crowns (223 to 291 million USD) for the month of May. The German company Teleplan will open new Czech branch by the end of July. SPGroup will invest 12 billion crowns (5 billion USD) into the transformation of the Prazsky Veletrzni Areal exhibition facility into an Olympic-class sports facility. New code-share cooperation

In Business News: the minimum wage is to increase slightly from July; Czechs are spending less on household insurance relative to earnings; Plzensky Prazdroj is to invest heavily into its brewing technology; lower VAT on coffee, tea and chocolate takes effect on July 15.

In Business News: over a billion dollars worth of PPPs are planned, says a Finance Ministry official; farmers want the next government to halt the continual decline in output in their industry; Czech tourists spent more money on holidays at home than abroad in 2005; and the biggest factory outlet in the country should open at Prague airport next year.

In Business News: the Prague stock exchange has a down and up week; tax on labour in the Czech Republic is too high, says the OECD; Czech Airlines plans to trim its operations; Prague is taking in more in property sales than in previous years; one of the country's richest businessmen invests in a weekly newspaper; and from next month Czechs will be able to pay many bills at newsagents.

In Business News: the Czech Republic is on course to join the euro in 2010, though the OECD warns of some risks; inflation reaches 3.1 percent, but should fall sharply; Hyundai finally sets a date for construction work on its Moravian factory; Skoda Auto - the country's biggest exporter in 2005 - plans to put the Yeti prototype into production; and Slivovice makers Rudolf Jelinek report big sales increases last year.

Perhaps more than ever before, the economy is the talk of this year's elections. Right now confidence in the Czech market is the highest it has been in eight years, but during their campaigns both the opposition Civic Democrats and the Social Democrats - who've ruled for the past eight years - have promised big changes.

In Business News: Morgan Stanley is planning to invest around a billion US dollars in the Czech Republic; the Czech Republic is near the bottom of the EU charts in terms of number of wind power stations; excessive bureaucracy is costing Czech companies billions, says a business leader; the lottery and betting market grew significantly last year; and a Czech company is playing a part in the construction of the world's tallest building.

Czech government announces record Q1 economic growth figures. Czech industrial production rises 3.0 percent in March. Low-key ceremony marks signing for Hyundai's Czech plant. Czech power company CEZ selects Russian nuclear fuel supplier. Sales at Czech internet portals top 1 billion crowns in 2005. Investors buy flats with regulated rents.

Czech foreign trade: surplus of 9 billion crowns in March. Government approves Hyundai investment agreement. Skodaexport almost certain to land biggest foreign contract in the country's history. Poll: Number of Czechs in favour of euro on the decline. Czech crown reaches new record against euro. Ever more singles applying for mortgage.

In Business News: police are investigating the disappearance of over 22 million dollars from the Czech Consolidation Agency; Czechs are borrowing at record levels; the prime minister wants Russia to supply cheaper natural gas for power stations; the supermarket chain Delvita is denying reports it plans to pull out of the Czech Republic; and the rights to many classic Czech films are bought by a private investor.