Slovakia - Factors To Watch on March 29

...
     
    QUESTION HOUR 
    Government ministers will answer queries from MPs during a 
regular question hour in parliament, 2 p.m. (1200 GMT). 
     
    PPI ABOVE FCASTS BUT INFLATION SEEN BENIGN 
    Slovak producer prices rose faster than expected due to 
higher energy costs in February, data showed on Wednesday, but 
analysts did not see any threat to a favourable consumer price 
inflation outlook. 
    [ID:nL28606441] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK] 
    [ID:nL28114482] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK] 
     
    CROWN DIPS ON RISK AVERSION, SEEN EDGY 
    The Slovak crown eased against the euro on Wednesday as 
investors cut exposure to emerging markets because of stronger 
global risk aversion, traders said. 
    [ID:nL2825623] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-CEN-SK] 
     
    FDI INFLOW RISES ON ENEL DEAL IN 2006 
    Foreign direct investment in Slovakia more than doubled last 
year, driven mainly by the 
acquisition of electricity maker Slovenske Elektrarne by Italy's 
utility Enel , the central bank said on Wednesday. 
    [ID:nL28724109] [RTRS-MRG-CEN-FRX-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    FINMIN SLAMS HEALTH INSURANCE DRAFT 
    The finance ministry has criticised the new draft laws on 
health insurance companies prepared by the health-care ministry. 
The ministry wants to ban health care insurers from making 
profits, which, the finance ministry said, could lead to 
lawsuits against the state. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    REGULATION BOARD 
    President Ivan Gasparovic is expected to pick new members of 
the Regulation Board of the state utilities regulator within 30 
days. The government and parliament have each submitted six 
candidates for the board. 
    Sme, page 6 
     
    KOSOVO DECLARATION 
    The parliament approved declaration on Kosovo, which says 
that the province's status must be based on legitimate Serbian 
stipulations. The resolution was backed by all parties except 
for the ethnic Hungarian SMK faction, whose deputies abstained 
from the vote. The motion is not binding for the government. 
    Sme, page 2 
     
    MERGERS' VOLUME UP IN 2006 
    Mergers and acquisition activity rose by 37 percent to 103 
deals last year, with investment volume totalling $606 million, 
according to PricewaterhouseCoopers data. 
    Pravda, page 11 
     
    LABOUR CODE DEBATE 
    The Labour and Social Affairs Minister Viera Tomanova met 
representatives of individual entrepreneurs to debate the labour 
code. The tradesmen say the ministry promised to meet some of 
their demands. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, 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: Peter Laca, on +421 2 5341 8402; 
fax: +421 2 5341 8403 
    E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk 
    Reuters Messaging: pater.laca.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]