Slovakia - Factors To Watch on May 11

...

POLISH PM

Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski will visit Slovakia. News conference with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at 0945 gmt.

HEADLINE INFLATION

The Statistics Office will publish April headline inflation data, 0700 GMT. Analysts had expected consumer prices to have risen by 0.1 percent monthly and by 2.6 percent year-on-year.

CORE INFLATION

The Statistics Office will publish April core inflation data, 0700 GMT. Analysts had forecast core inflation at 0.2 percent month-on-month and at 2.4 percent on an annual basis.

FOREIGN RESERVES

The central bank will publish its weekly foreign currency reserves data, 1200 GMT.

GDP SEEN JUMPING TO RECORD 10.5 PCT IN Q1

Slovakia's economic growth probably accelerated to a record high in the first quarter of 2007 as exports from the key car industry picked up speed, a Reuters poll showed on Thursday.

[ID:nL10653294] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]

CROWN DOWN ON REGION, EYES CPI, TRADE DATA

The Slovak crown fell slightly against the euro on Thursday in line with other currencies in the region, dealers said.

[ID:nL10458461] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK]

MARCH RETAIL SALES +6.0 PCT Y/

Slovak retail sales rose by a real 6.0 percent year-on-year in March, accelerating from a 4.6 percent increase in February, the Slovak Statistics Office said on Thursday.

[ID:nPRG000342] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-RET-SK]

MARCH REAL AVERAGE IND WAGE +7.9 PCT Y/

The real average industrial wage in Slovakia rose by 7.9 percent year-on-year in March, compared with a 9.1 percent rise in February, the Statistics Office said on Thursday.

[ID:nL10315875] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]

PRESS DIGEST

------------

FICO SLAMS MEDIA AGAIN

Prime Minister Robert Fico lashed out at Slovakia's media again, saying they lacked objectivity and mislead the public about government policies and agenda.

Sme, page 2

NUCLEAR POWER

Italy's utility Enel, the owner of Slovakia's dominant power maker Slovenske Elektrarne, will invest 70 billion crowns ($2.82 billion) in building new nuclear capacities and modernasing the existing ones.

Sme, page 7

HEALTH-CARE PACKAGE

Health-care Minister Ivan Valentovic will propose a package of measures to revive the health care system to the government next week.

Sme, page 2

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: peter.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]

($1=24.79 Slovak Crown)

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]