INSTANT VIEW 1-Slovak trade swings to surplus in Jan

    March 14 (Reuters) - Slovakia's foreign trade balance swung 
to a surplus of 3.98 billion crowns ($154 million) in January, 
compared with a revised gap of 12.31 billion crowns in December, 
the Statistics Office said on Wednesday. 
 
KEY POINTS: 
FOREIGN TRADE         JAN 07    DEC 06    JAN 06    JAN-DEC 06 
 (SKK bln) 
 Balance              +3.982   -12.306    -8.191     -91.627 
 (Full table of data...........................[ID:nPRG000266]) 
 
- The market had predicted a trade deficit of 2.0 billion crowns 
in January, according to a Reuters poll of analysts. 
- The Statistics Office did not release a more detailed 
breakdown of January trade data. 
- The December balance was revised from a previously reported 
shortfall of 12.48 billion crowns. 
 
BACKGROUND: 
- Slovakia's foreign trade deficit widened in 2006, mainly due 
to rising imports of equipment needed for investment projects 
such as car factories being built by PSA Peugeot Citroen 
 and Kia Motors . 
- But the external balance is expected to improve in 2007 when 
the two car assembly plants are scheduled to boost their 
export-oriented production. 
 
LINKS 
- For further details on January foreign trade and other 
past data, Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the Slovak 
Statistics Office's website: 
    http://wwww.statistics.sk/webdata/english/index2_a.htm 
 
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