Slovakia - Factors To Watch on March 14

... 
     
    JANUARY FOREIGN TRADE BALANCE DATA 
    The Statistics Office will publish foreign trade balance 
data for January, at 9 a.m. (0800 GMT). Analysts had forecast a 
foreign trade deficit of 2.0 billion crowns. 
     
    GOVERNMENT MEETING 
    The government will hold its regular meeting, at 10 a.m. 
(0900 GMT). 
     
    PM FICO MEETS UNIONS ON LABOUR CODE 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico will meet representatives of 
trade unions to debate the new labour code draft, at 3 p.m. 
(1400 GMT). 
     
    IMF SAYS SLOVAKS ON TRACK FOR EURO ADOPTION 
    Slovakia is very likely to meet euro entry criteria in time 
to adopt the single currency as planned in 2009, the 
International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday. 
    [ID:nL13658795] [RTRS-EUR-IMF-SK] 
     
    FEB CPI BENIGN, MAY BRING FORWARD RATE CUT 
    Slovak consumer price growth remained benign in February, 
and analysts said this raised the possibility of a 
sooner-than-expected easing of monetary policy. 
    [ID:nL13621653] [ID:nL13219008] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK] 
     
    SAMSUNG TO INVEST 320 MLN EUROS IN SLOVAK PLANT 
    Samsung Electronics  will invest 320 million 
euros ($421.9 million) in its new Slovak factory to build LCD 
panels, the head of Slovak state investment agency Sario said on 
Tuesday. 
    [ID:nL13708310] [RTRS-ELI-ELC-SK] 
     
    CBANK REJECTS SOME BIDS IN 2-WK REPO TENDER 
    The Slovak central bank (NBS) rejected some bids in its 
two-week repo tender on Tuesday, leaving the market in a 
liquidity surplus in order to stem firming of the crown 
currency. 
    [ID:nL13631017 [RTRS-MMT-FRX-CEN-SK] 
     
    CROWN FIRMS ON SAMSUNG NEWS, SEEN IN RANGE 
    The Slovak crown firmed on Tuesday, touching a psychological 
34.0 per euro level, helped by news of large foreign investment 
inflows, dealers said. 
    [ID:nL13446030] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    SMER DEPUTY CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION 
    A Bratislava district deputy, nominated by the ruling party 
Smer of Prime Minister Robert Fico, has been charged with taking 
a bribe of 2.3 million crowns ($88,970). 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    U.S. COULD DROP VISA FOR SLOVAKS BY 2009 
    The United States could ease travel restrictions for Slovaks 
by autumn 2009, said Slovakia's Ambassador to United States 
Rastislav Kacer, outlining the most optimistic scenario. 
    Pravda, page 1 
     
    For news on upcoming events in the United States and other 
Group of Seven countries, see . For a diary of 
forthcoming Slovak events, double click [SK/DIARY], and a 
calendar of east European economic indicators, see [CONV/DIARY]. 
     
    News editor of the day: Martin Dokoupil, on +421 2 5341 
8402; fax: +421 2 5341 8403 
    E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk 
    Reuters Messaging: martin.dokoupil.reuters.com@reuters.net 
     
 For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets: 
 Warsaw WIG20   Budapest BUX   Prague PX50  
 Other related news: 
 Slovak equities      [SK-E]  E.Europe equities           [.CEE] 
 Slovak money         [SK-M]  Czech debt                  [CZ-D] 
 Slovak Indicators  [SK-ECI]  Emerging forex          [EMRG/FRX] 
 Eastern European     [EEU]   All emerging markets        [EMRG] 
 Hot stocks           [HOT]   Stock markets                [STX] 
 Market debt news     [DBT]   Forex news                   [FRX] 
 TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets                         [TOP/EMRG] 
 TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch                        [TOP/EAST] 
 
  
 ($1=25.85 Slovak Crown)