FACTBOX-Czech central bankers' recent remarks on policy

...consecutive month on Thursday after 75 basis 
points worth of hikes between October 2005 and September 2006. 
    Following are key extracts from recent comments from CNB 
board members going back to a news conference following the 
previous meeting. 
    Forward-looking money market rates  have risen 
slightly since the previous CNB meeting on March 1, pricing in a 
repo rate rise   to 2.75 percent by July and 
another hike to 3.00 percent by the year-end. 
 
 =========================COMMENTS============================== 
 
    GOVERNOR ZDENEK TUMA, SPEAKING TO LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT 
ON QUARTERLY INFLATION REPORT, MARCH 21 
    "It is still expected that interest rates could rise 
slightly, however the timing (of a rate increase) itself remains 
a big question. During our most recent (policy) deliberations, 
we judged the risks (to the inflation outlook) to be as more or 
less balanced." 
    TRANSCRIPT IN CZECH: 
 http://www.psp.cz/eknih/2006ps/stenprot/013schuz/s013187.htm#r5 
 
    VICE-GOVERNOR MIROSLAV SINGER, REUTERS INTERVIEW, MARCH 19 
    "The next move may go in either direction, because interest 
rates are more or less well set at the moment." 
    "So now I see stability, over the longer run I can imagine 
rates heading rather higher than lower given the cyclicality of 
economic developments." 
    STORY: [ID:nL19394999] 
    HIGHLIGHTS: [ID:nL19461770] 
 
    VICE-GOVERNOR LUDEK NIEDERMAYER, INTERVIEW WITH BLOOMBERG 
NEWS AGENCY, MARCH 16 
    "Right now, I think interest rates are where they should 
be," Niedermayer was quoted as saying, adding this "opens the 
possibility of a rate movement in both directions." 
    STORY: [ID:nL1621050] 
     
    TUMA, NEWS CONFERENCE, MARCH 8 
    "The new target does not alter the interest rate outlook for 
the near-term," Tuma said after the CNB announced a cut in its 
inflation target mid-point to 2 percent beginning 2010, from the 
current 3 percent. 
    STORY: [ID:nL08474011] 
    FACTBOX on the switch to new inflation target and moves 
aimed at boosting transparency of policy-making: [ID:nL08636993] 
     
    BOARD MEMBER MOJMIR HAMPL, INTERVIEW WITH FINANCIAL WEB 
PORTAL, MARCH 12 
    "The pro-inflationary and anti-inflationary risks are 
relatively balanced and the moment of a potential rise in rates 
is certainly farther away than it might have seemed in the final 
months of last year." 
    STORY: [ID:nL12289539] 
     
    STATEMENT ON Q4 GDP GROWTH DATA, MARCH 9 
    The economy's 5.8 percent year-on-year growth in the fourth 
quarter last year was 0.1 percentage point faster than the CNB 
had forecast, the CNB said. 
    STORY: [nPRA001191] 
     
    MINUTES TO MARCH 1 MONTHLY POLICY BOARD MEETING, MARCH 9 
    "The majority of the board members agreed on the overall 
assessment of the January forecast risks as being balanced. The 
opinion was also expressed, however, that the risks to inflation 
were skewed slightly to the upside overall." 
    STORY:[ID:nPRA001190] 
    TEXT: [ID:nL09170087] 
     
    STATEMENT ON FEB CPI DATA, MARCH 8 
    February inflation of 1.5 percent year-on-year lagged the 
CNB's forecast by some 0.3 percentage points, signalling modest 
price pressures in the economy, the CNB said. 
    STORY: [ID:nPRA001186] 
     
    TUMA, NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER MONTHLY MEETING, MARCH 1 
    "The significant prevailing view on the board was that the 
risks (to the inflation outlook) were balanced," governor said, 
a signal that board members were largely in favour of holding 
policy steady in the near future. 
    STORY: [ID:nL01604532] 
 
  
  Keywords: CZECH CENTRALBANK/