Czech Stock Indices End Higher, Erase Early Losses

Czech stock indices finished slightly higher on Friday in a second straight winning session, recovering from morning losses and enhancing market hopes for better days to come. Dealers said next week will show whether the downward trend seen over the past two months may be ending. The Reuters-HN-Wood index of the 10 most liquid shares rose 0.25 percent to 1,734.4 points, and the broad PX-50 index was up 0.12 percent at 573.2 points. For the week, the indices lost 1.3 percent and 1.0 percent, respectively. Volumes however remained at a low level. Turnover on the key SPAD segment fell to Kc852 million from 1.1 million on Thursday, both well below the long-term daily average of 1.8 billion. The trading was dominated by Cesky Telecom rising on foreign buy orders to 718 crowns, or by 0.7 percent. Komercni Banka firmed 1.7 percent to 824 followed by savings bank Ceska Sporitelna which rose 1.1 percent to 208.3.