INSTANT VIEW 1-Czech Jan trade surplus below forecast

    PRAGUE, March 7 (Reuters) - The Czech foreign trade balance 
posted a 10.96 billion crown ($511 million) monthly surplus in 
January, smaller than the market had expected after a 11.99 
billion crown surplus in the same month a year earlier. 
    For the whole of last year, the trade balance showed a 
cumulative revised surplus of 44.39 billion crowns, lower than 
the previously reported 47.27 billion crowns. 
 
KEY POINTS: 
(in bln CZK)           Jan        Dec           Jan fcast 
 balance              10.96     -2.85 (-3.25)    14.0 
(nominal y/y change in pct) 
 exports              13.8       n/a  (12.5)       n/a 
 imports              15.5       n/a  (11.7)       n/a 
(brackets denote previously reported data) 
 
 (For full table of trade data, click on........[ID:nPRA001181]) 
 
- According to seasonally-adjusted preliminary data, exports 
rose 1.4 percent in January from December while imports rise 6.4 
percent month-on-month. 
- Surplus in the category of machinery and transport equipment 
segment drop by 1.4 billion crowns year-on-year, the first 
monthly fall since March 2004. Surplus in trade with 
semi-finished goods also drops. 
- Deficit in trade with mineral fuels down by 1.4 billion crowns 
year-on-year. 
- In euro terms, exports rise 17.4 percent and imports by 19.2 
percent year-on-year in January, outpacing the growth rates in 
local currency terms because of a firming in the crown. 
- January was the first month since July 2006 when import growth 
outpaced the expansion of exports. 
 
BACKGROUND: 
- Market expectations before release              [ID:nL0578676] 
- Slovak Dec trade figures                       [ID:nL09567959] 
- Polish trade in Dec                            [ID:nL12845793] 
- Hungary's Dec trade data                       [ID:nL08219085] 
- Report on last Czech c.bank rate decision      [ID:nPRA001176] 
                                                 [ID:nL01449456] 
 
- For further details on January foreign trade and other past 
data, Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the Czech Statistical 
Bureau's website: 
    http://www.czso.cz/eng/csu.nsf/kalendar/2004-vzo 
 
- For LIVE Czech economic data releases, click on        
- Instant Views on other Czech data click on        [CZ/INSTANT] 
- Overview of Czech macroeconomic indicators            [CZ/ECI] 
 
- Key data releases in central Europe    [CEE-CONVERGENCE-WATCH] 
- For Czech money markets data click on                 
- Czech money guide                                       
- Czech benchmark state bond prices                    
- Czech forward money market rates                       
 
 ((Writing by Jan Lopatka; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters 
Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420 224 190 
477)) 
 ($1=21.45 Czech Crown) 
  Keywords: CZECH ECONOMY/TRADE