Slovakia - Factors To Watch on May 16

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EU-NORM INFLATION

The Statistics Office will publish April EU-norm inflation data, 0700 GMT. Analysts forecast prices to have risen by 0.1 percent on the month, for an annual inflation rate of 1.9 percent.

REGULAR GOVERNMENT MEETING

The government will hold its regular weekly meeting. Health-care Minister Ivan Valentovic is expected to propose creation of a sole, state-owned health insurance company.

ECONOMY SLOWS IN Q1, DISAPPOINTS MARKETS

Slovak economic growth slowed to an annual 8.9 percent in the first quarter of 2007 and fell short of market expectations of a double digit rise, preliminary data showed on Tuesday, pushing the crown currency down.

[ID:nL15357711] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]

[ID:nL15105877]

GOVT AGENDA PREVENTS MORE FISCAL CUTS-PAPER

The Slovak economy creates room for a lower fiscal gap than planned by the finance ministry but government goals do not allow deeper cuts, Deputy Finance Minister Frantisek Palko was quoted on Tuesday as saying.

[ID:nL15356017] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-POL-SK]

CBANK DRAINS SKK 180.8 BLN IN 2-WK REPO

The Slovak central bank (NBS) accepted all bids in a regular two-week repo tender on Tuesday, draining 180.767 billion crowns ($7.28 billion) from the market, the NBS data showed.

[ID:nL15723225] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-CEN-SK]

ALCAN UNIT EYES 25,000 TONNES OUTPUT IN SLOVAKIA

A unit of Canada's Alcan plans to make 25,000 tonnes of soft alloy products within four years at its new $35 million Slovak plant, company officials said on Tuesday.

[ID:nL15500531] [RTRS-ALU-AUT-SK]

SLOVAKIA TO DECIDE ON MILITARY AIRLIFTERS IN 2007

Slovakia will decide later this year on the purchase of new military transport aircraft to upgrade its ageing Soviet-era fleet, Defence Minister Frantisek Kasicky said on Tuesday.

[ID:nL15672860] [RTRS-AER-POL-GVD-SK]

CROWN EASES FROM 2-WK PEAK ON WEAKER GDP

The Slovak crown eased on Tuesday from a two-week high against the euro seen in the previous session, after first quarter GDP data came in well below market expectations, dealers said.

[ID:nL15685354] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK]

PRESS DIGEST

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STATE HEALTH INSURER

Health-care Minister Ivan Valentovic is expected to submit a proposal to the government to create only one, state-owned health insurance company.

Sme, page 1

PASSENGERS DROP AT BRATISLAVA AIRPORT

Passenger volume at the Bratislava airport, Slovakia's main air gate, dropped by 7 percent on the year in April. It was the airport's first fall in passenger volume in six years.

Pravda, page 1

LABOUR CODE DEBATE

The Slovak parliament opened a debate on the Labour Code draft on Tuesday. The assembly is expected to vote on the draft in June.

Pravda, page 4

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]

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]