Slovak crown steady vs euro, trade data disappoints

...trade data may limit appetite to push the 
unit stronger in the short run. 
    The crown drifted between 33.350 and 33.410 per euro 
 on Wednesday. It traded at 33.375 per euro as of 1405 
GMT, compared with 33.410 on Tuesday. 
    "The February trade balance is a disappointment, but less 
surprising after weaker than expected output data yesterday," 
said Lucy Bethell, strategist at Royal Bank of Scotland. 
    "It leaves the crown without fresh inspiration, and likely 
to struggle on the downside against the backdrop of short euro 
positioning and a stronger EUR/USD," she said in a note. 
    Slovakia's foreign trade balance swung to a deficit of 2.05 
billion crowns in February as car production growth slowed down. 
Analysts had expected a surplus of 2 billion crowns. 
    The market awaits Thursday's release of March inflation 
data, which is expected to edge up to 2.8 percent year-on-year 
by local standards, from 2.7 percent in February. 
    The central bank (NBS) is watching the EU-norm data, due on 
April 16, to prepare the country for the euro zone entry planned 
for 2009. 
    Traders also said an acquisition of leading Slovak tyre 
maker Matador Rubber by Continental AG  could boost the 
crown, if the money is converted in the market. 
    Continental said on Wednesday it will buy a 51 percent stake 
in Matador for a price that a source familiar with the deal said 
was in the low hundreds of millions of euros. 
------------------ MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 1405 GMT ----------------- 
Crown/euro  33.375 vs 33.410 on Tuesday (+0.10 pct) 
Crown/dollar   at 24.837 vs 24.895 (+0.23) 
5-yr govt bond  yield 4.277/4.077 vs 4.231/4.011 pct 
7-yr govt bond  yield 4.343/4.094 vs 4.326/4.106 pct 
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